


All the Roads We Have to Walk Are Winding

by wishingonlightning



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Character Death, F/F, season 6
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-08
Updated: 2017-09-08
Packaged: 2018-12-20 20:56:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 36,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11929101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wishingonlightning/pseuds/wishingonlightning
Summary: When Emma almost dies at the blade of the figure under the hood, an unlikely aid comes in the form of The Evil Queen. Now, not only must Emma try to figure out who is trying to kill her, but deal with the hot and cold Evil Queen, whom Emma is hesitant to trust, but can't seem to stay away from. And that's not to mention the sudden longing she feels every time Regina walks into the room.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [All the Roads We Have to Walk Are Winding [ART]](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11917662) by [maidenwar](https://archiveofourown.org/users/maidenwar/pseuds/maidenwar). 



> I can't believe I actually wrote and edited a fic this long; I never thought I would have the patience to do so.  
> Thank you so much to the mods for organizing this. I can't even imagine just how much time and effort it took to make this challenge run as smoothly as it did. This has been an amazing experience and it wouldn't have happened without you, so thank you!  
> Thank you to MaiaRose for being an awesome beta. You saved me from so many grammar errors, and I can't tell you how grateful I am for all of your comments and nitpicking.  
> Thank you to TheKingisaGirl for being the best cheerleader and friend that I could ever ask for. You helped me with multiple plot ideas before finally settling on this one, and you were always there whenever I got stuck and needed someone to bounce ideas off of. I don't care how much you try to deny it, this story would not be what it is without your help, and I honestly don't know if I even would have finished it without you there encouraging me every step of the way.  
> Thank you to maidenwar for the gorgeous piece of art to go with this fic! It is absolutely gorgeous and captures this story so well!  
> The title comes from the song Wonderwall.

Regina flinches as the swords clash together, the sound piercing right through her. Magic tingles from her palms to her fingertips tips, sparking a deep violet, and she reaches her hands forward out of instinct. But any attempt to throw off the figure under the hood could just as easily distract Emma. She tries not to think of the consequences of that mistake.

 

Snow shakes beside her, and David’s knuckles turn white in his fists. The pirate takes a step forward, to do what, Regina doesn’t know.

 

Emma loses her footing as her opponent brings its sword down faster than she expects. She falls to one knee in the effort to block the blow. Regina’s breath catches in her throat and she feels so helpless that it is a physical ache in her chest.

 

Emma jumps back to her feet, blocking the next blow with more success. She swings her sword toward the figure’s chest, blade slicing through the thick black robes, but still not close enough to inflict the damage she needs to gain the upperhand. 

 

But it’s enough to give Emma the confidence to take a step forward, bringing her sword down with a crash against the hooded figure’s sword. She takes another step, brings her sword down again. Regina’s breath comes out in a rush. 

 

“You can do this, Emma.” The words are a whisper, lost in the screech of metal on metal.

 

Regina hears a whimper and turns her attention away from the battle just long enough to see Henry standing behind her. Poofing him away somewhere safe, somewhere he won't run the risk of seeing his mother fatally wounded, crosses her mind. 

 

Henry would never forgive her. 

 

So she reaches her arm out behind her and feels Henry’s fingers, clammy from fear, grip tightly with hers, and turns her attention back to Emma’s fight.

 

Henry’s presence grounds her, stops her fingers sparking with magic that is begging to be released. Instead she wills Emma to hold onto the upper hand, to wound the figure just enough that she can get away, or that Regina can finally use her magic to stop the figure from going after Emma. So Regina can ensure that Emma is, and always will be, safe from this threat.

 

Emma brings her sword down again, but instead of blocking her blow, the figure steps out of the way of the blade, and the momentum behind Emma’s swing has her stumbling forward. She lifts her sword as quickly as she can, spining to the side. She leans back, a second too slow, and red seeps from the gash on her arm, running down to her elbow in streaks.

 

The pain is clear in Emma’s eyes and she moves back to regain her footing before the next strike. She makes to block the next blow, but her arm shakes with the effort and it’s just enough to send the weapon flying behind her.

 

Quiet sobs shudder from Snow, and Regina moves forward, despite Henry’s grasp, and lifts her free hand, vibrant flames coming to life. She brings her arm backward, above her head, ready to release a weapon of her own. But the ball of fire is thrown off course as she watches with dread as the figure brings it’s sword forward one last time, its blade slicing through the middle of Emma’s torso.

 

Regina pulls her hand from Henry’s, running forward, barely registering the figure’s retreating form as it disappears from sight completely.

 

“No!” Snow shouts, voice breaking on the word.

 

Emma falls to her knees as Regina reaches her, dropping to the ground beside her. “Emma,” Regina says, and gently wraps her arms around Emma’s shoulders and lowers her to the ground.

 

Shadows, cast by the streetlight above, fall over Emma as the rest of her family rushes across the empty street and to her side. Regina’s hands have already lifted to just above Emma’s stomach, red blood dying her white tank top, as the others reach them.

 

Regina doesn’t hold her magic back this time. She calls forward the lightest magic she can summon. Magic is fueled by emotion, so she lets herself be consumed, letting hope run through her veins. She pictures Emma healthy, standing tall, grin stretching easily across her face. She pictures Emma holding her baby brother, cooing softly as he laughs in her arms. She pictures Emma as she looks at her, carefree and so, so alive.

 

She puts everything she has into her magic, desperate for the wound to close, for the bleeding to stop. Sobs and pained voices make up the circle around her, and chip away at her concentration.

 

“Back off,” she snaps. “I can’t save her if you won’t shut up.”

 

Purple engulfs the middle of Emma’s body as silence falls among the small group around them. Regina grunts with the effort, blood still leaking from the wound despite the healing magic running through her body. 

 

“Come on, Emma. Please,” she says voice breaking. Blood pools to the ground.

 

“Stay away from her,” David snarls from behind her, but Regina barely hears it.

 

“Your daughter is already dying; what more damage could I do?” That voice is enough to startle Regina from the task at hand, and she lifts her eyes to see her evil half sauntering forward.

 

Hook moves to block her way, but with a wave of her hand he is thrown back, landing hard against the street. The Evil Queen has a smirk on her face, but as she looks down at Emma her face hardens to an unreadable mask.

 

“What do you want?” Regina gasps out.

 

“Do you want my help or not?” The Queen asks in a bored tone.

 

Regina studies her for a moment, can see the tension in the way she holds herself, can see  _ something _ behind her eyes. She hesitates a second longer before nodding and turning back to Emma. She hears The Queen kneel across from her, and another pair of hands reach forward, fingertips bumping together. Purple light joins purple light as The Queen casts forth her magic.

 

“Please. Please,” Regina chants over and over again. The Queen’s magic spills out with renewed force, and Regina uses every last ounce of strength she has and wills it to be enough.

 

Regina’s eyes fill with tears, slowly spilling over, the sight before her becoming nothing more than a violet blurr. 

 

“Come on, Regina,” The Queen taunts in a strained voice. “If you’re so  _ good _ , then save Henry’s other mother. Save the  _ Princess _ .”

 

“What do you think I’m trying to do?” Regina growls, hands trembling violently. “I will save her. I have to save her.” Her tears fall in earnest now.

 

“Then do it. Save her. You know the easiest way, Regina. Use what has always come natural to us,” The Queen says.

 

Regina lifts her eyes to The Queen. “Not like that,” Regina says. “Not with anger.”

 

“What then? With  _ love _ ?”

 

Regina lowers her eyes back to Emma, and blinks away the tears. Beautiful, brilliant, brave Emma. She focuses on the blood stained fabric, on the fatal wound she knows lies beneath, and pictures flesh stitching itself back together, mending, healing; she can feel the heat beneath her palms, can feel her magic take purchase.

 

With a still glowing hand, she pushes the stained tank top up to just beneath Emma’s breasts. She lets out a sob at the smooth flesh she sees; the only evidence of the stab being a thin line, two inches in length in the center of her stomach. She runs her fingers over the mark, blood coating her fingertips, and lets out another sob even as her lips turn up at the corners in a smile.

 

She doesn’t dignify The Queen’s question with an answer.

 

“Emma,” she says. The purple fades from her fingers as she brings her other hand to brush the hair from Emma’s eyes. “Emma.” Her voice turns frantic as the blonde’s eyes refuse to open and her breathing remains shallow.

 

“We have to- we have to get her to the hospital,” Regina says, and begins to gather Emma in her arms. 

 

She distantly hears the footsteps of the Charmings rushing forward in aid, now that Regina has done all that she can do. But Regina, Emma and The Queen are wrapped in a cloud of purple before anyone can reach them. 

 

“You can’t just leave Henry-” Regina blinks her eyes at the bright fluorescence of the hospital’s lobby.

 

Their sudden entrance is met with a surprised shout as a nurse jumps out of the way.

 

“Henry is with those idiots he calls grandparents,” The Queen says to Regina, before turning her glare to the nurse, a hand resting on the thick skirts covering her hip. “Are you going to do something about this, or not?” She gestures to where Regina and Emma lie huddled on the floor.

 

The nurse stares, frozen, at the sight before her. Regina holding Emma to her, an arm wrapped tightly behind Emma’s shoulders, their clothes and bodies stained with blood.

 

“Get help now,” Regina says tightly, looking down at Emma in her arms.

 

The nurse skitters off without a word, and The Queen sighs loudly. “I’ll never understand why you've gone so soft. It accomplishes  _ nothing _ ,” she says, glaring in the direction that the nurse disappeared.

 

Regina opens her mouth to respond, but the sound of a gurney clanking down the hallway draws her attention away. Whale follows closely behind, frowning at the sight before him.

 

The nurses reach Regina’s side and bend down to lift Emma from her arms. “No,” Regina snaps, and disappears. She reappears standing beside the gurney, Emma lying upon it. One of the nurses curses under her breath, but regains her footing quickly.

 

“What happened to her?” Whale asks, his eyes darting to The Queen, who rolls her eyes.

 

“She was pierced by a sword. We healed it as well as we could, but-” Regina trails off, hand resting gently on Emma’s wrist.

 

Whale begins to push Emma away down the hall, and Regina follows him step for step. He stops and sighs. “You need to wait, Regina. Let us run some scans and I’ll let you know the moment I know how she is. Plus, if you could...” He glances over her shoulder where The Queen leans against the wall, glancing down at her perfectly manicured nails with a smirk on her face.

 

Regina closes her eyes, lips pressed in a tight line. “The second you know  _ anything _ -”

 

“I will come find you,” Whale assures. Regina nods, casting one last look at Emma, skin so light, so delicate, traced with a spiderweb of veins and dotted with blood. She chokes on the lump in her throat, and backs into the wall.

 

She feels The Queen’s skirt brush against the damp fabric of her slacks. Regina waves a hand, ridding her clothes and the floor of blood.

 

“Love is weakness, Regina,” The Queen says without preamble. 

 

Regina takes a breath and looks her other half in the eyes. “You have all of my memories, and you can still say that?”

 

The Queen’s face contorts in pity. “Look at you. You’re a wreck, and that is not a good look on either one of us, dear.”

 

“You know as well as I do that love is strength, that I would not be where I am if it wasn’t for Henry. If it wasn’t for my family.”

 

“Strength?” The Queen scoffs. “But not enough strength to deal with yourself as you were, not enough strength to love yourself when you were whole?”

 

Regina’s face hardens, tears still silently streaming down her cheeks as she looks at The Queen. 

 

“Strength from my family who loves me how I choose to be.  _ I _ have a family now. People who I love that love me in return. When have we ever been able to say that?  _ People _ , Regina. There is so much strength in that.”

 

The Queen rolls her eyes. “And what of your little princess? If she dies?”

 

“Don’t,” Regina snarls, pushing off the wall and getting within inches of The Queen’s face. Her other half simply looks amused. Regina’s fists clench where they’re raised in the air, and her eyes darken; The Evil Queen meets her gaze without faltering.

 

After a minute of neither woman moving, Regina lets out a breath and takes a step back. “Why are you here? What is your endgame?” she asks.

 

The Queen shakes her head. “Now where would be the fun in answering that?” she asks with a laugh. “I have my own reasons for saving the princess, but you need not worry about that, dear. Besides, shouldn’t you be thanking me? I’m the only reason the princess even has a pulse.”

 

“If that was your goal, then mission complete. What does this hospital have to offer you now?” Regina says.

 

The Queen’s eyes dart quickly down the hall where they had taken Emma, before darkening and looking back at Regina.

 

“Oh,” Regina whispers. “You’re not done until you know she’s safe.”

 

The Queen’s laughter echoes down the empty corridor, and had it not been Regina’s own laugh, she wouldn’t have heard the pain masked beneath. 

 

“We aren’t so different after all, are we?” Regina asks, voice still soft. The Queen opens her mouth to respond, but Regina shakes her head, silencing her.

 

Regina walks down the hall to a small waiting area. At the sight of The Queen following behind, the few people in the room leave, eyes averted. The Queen sneers, but otherwise passes Regina into the room, lifting her glittering skirts as she sits gracefully in one of the cheap, straight backed chairs.

 

Regina walks to a chair across from The Queen, before stopping, looking at the senseless patterns of grey of the hospital carpet, and turning around to sit beside The Queen. She feels her tense beside her, but relax a moment later as Regina folds her arms over her chest and settles into her chair.

 

The quiet tick of the clock on the far wall counts down the seconds, each one stretching on and on in a blur and neither women are sure if only minutes have passed or hours, when rising voices, nearing closer and closer jolt the women from the confines of their own mind.

 

“Call her cell phone again, Henry,” Snow says, voice rising higher. Regina pulls her phone from her pocket, it’s battery dead, and shoves it back into place.

 

The Queen’s face grows tighter, her mask slipping into place at the sound of Snow White’s voice.

 

“Play nice,” Regina says, rising to her feet.

 

“I shall do no such thing,” she responds, but stays where she is as she glares at the opening of the room.

 

“Henry,” Regina calls, stepping into the hallway. David, Snow, Henry, and the pirate turn at the sound of her voice.

 

“Mom,” Henry says and throws himself into her arms. “Is she okay?”

 

“Doctor Whale said he would let me know as soon as he knew anything,” she tells him, holding him tightly to her chest. “We managed to close the wound and stop the bleeding, but I don’t know if-” Henry looks up at her, eyes wide with fear, and she kisses his forehead. “We closed the wound so that is one less obstacle for the doctors to worry about. Now we wait.”

 

“Now we wait,” Snow echoes. Regina tears her eyes away from Henry, and finally looks at the rest of her family.

 

Snow is trembling as she leans into her husband’s side, and David has his arm wrapped tightly around her waist, his eyes red rimmed. The pirate slinks behind them, staring down at the floor as he clenches the one hand he still has into a fist.

 

Regina turns, arm still tightly around her son as she leads them back into the waiting room, occupied only by her double.

 

“ _ Her _ ?” the pirate sneers as he walks into the waiting room and notices The Queen.

 

“ _ Me _ ,” she replies hotly, and Regina knew her warning was pointless.

 

“How do we know you weren’t behind this to begin with?” He steps around the Charmings until he's directly in front of The Queen.

 

“I suppose you don’t,” she says, standing, and managing to be imposing despite being the shorter of the two. 

 

“If you don’t leave-” he snarls.

 

Regina untangles her arms from around Henry, and grabs the pirate’s hooked arm as he raises it into the space between The Queen’s face and his own.

 

“Sit down, both of you. No one in this room did anything that would cause any harm to Emma. There is not a single person in this room that does not wish for her to come out of this alive,” Regina says.

 

“But how do we know?” Snow asks, glancing at The Queen.

 

“She is not going to harm Emma or anyone else here,” she says and The Queen snorts. Regina turns to look at her. “You are not helping the situation, dear.”

 

“You can hardly blame me with the filth that is in this room,” she sneers. 

 

“You need to leave,” David says from Snow’s side. “My daughter almost  _ died _ .” His voice cracks on the word.

 

“But she helped save Ma,” Henry says, and looks toward The Queen with all the hope of The Truest Believer etched upon his face.

 

“Yes,” she says. “If only to have my own fun with her later.” Her eyes twinkle at the outrage in the room at her implication. 

 

Henry’s face scrunches up in disgust. “Ew.”

 

“You will do no such thing,” Regina says, with all the authority of the queen she used to be and the mayor that she still is.

 

“Well, one of us will,” The Queen says quietly enough that only Regina hears it over Hook’s shout of anger. “As much fun as this has been,” her voice rises above the pirate’s,” I am growing rather nauseous at the smell of unwashed pirate.”

 

Hook takes another step forward, only to be met with a cloud of purple.

 

“How dare she insult Emma that way,” he says.

 

“I don’t know what she told you, Regina, but you and I both know what she’s capable of,” Snow says, and Regina nods.

 

“You think I don’t know that?” Snow flinches at the venom in Regina’s voice. Regina deflates; Snow doesn’t deserve her reaction. “We’re all on edge right now,” she says, voice softening. She sinks back into her chair, her exhaustion at the fear of losing Emma and the strain of the magic she used, finally getting the better of her.

 

“We don’t know what The Queen is planning, but she helped Ma,” Henry says, and takes the seat next to Regina. “She helped save her.”

 

“She did,” Regina agrees placing her hand atop Henry’s on the armrest of his chair.

 

“What does that say about her now that she helped save Emma?” Charming asks, taking the chair next to his wife, across from Regina and Henry. 

 

“She has her motives, I’m sure. But I do know that she wanted to help Emma. What she plans to do now, any of us could only guess at,” Regina says.

 

“I always knew there was good in her, in you,” Snow says.

 

“But I took that good from her,” Regina says. “She is who she is because of the decisions I chose to make.”

 

“Is now really the time to be talking of The Evil Queen?” Hook interrupts. “After what just happened to Emma.” He stands between the two sets of chairs, chin held up high.

 

“I know what has just happened to my daughter,” David says.

 

“And if we sit here and think only of that, we are all going to lose our minds before we can find out how she is doing,” Snow finishes David’s thought.

 

Hook let’s out a sigh and slumps down in the chair beside David. “I don’t like it,” he says.

 

“And you think the rest of us do?” Regina says, too tired for her voice to be as harsh as she would prefer.

 

“I think everyone is so focused on what the Evil Queen did that they are forgetting that there was someone else putting Emma’s life in the balance,” he says.

 

Regina nods. “The figure under the hood.”

 

“Who could it possibly be?” Snow asks. “Who from this town would want to hurt  _ Emma _ ?”

 

“Maybe they’re not from this town,” Regina says, and they all fall into silence, each lost in thought.

 

Henry leans his head on Regina’s shoulder and closes his eyes, Regina’s hand moving upwards to run her fingers through his hair.

 

The clock continues to quietly tick off each second and each minute, the soft noise mixing only with the distant footsteps in the hall.

 

Henry’s breath puffs against Regina’s neck as he dozes, folded up in a chair too small for his growing limbs, when she hears the steady sound of footsteps invade the quiet of their room. She opens her eyes to see Whale standing in the doorway. He meets her eyes, and after a moment of silence, gives her the smallest of smiles. Her breath rushes from her lungs and she nods, once, then twice. 

 

Emma is alive.

 

“Henry,” Regina mumbles into her son’s hair, and smooths her hand down his arm.

 

“Mm?” He opens his eyes and looks to his mother, before his eyes grow wide, finally noticing the newcomer in the room. “Is my mom, okay?” he asks, moving to the edge of his seat.

 

The doctor nods. “We had to give her a blood transfusion. Had Regina not stopped the bleeding when she did-” He shakes his head, lips falling in a grim line. “We did an MRI to check for any inside wounds, but everything has healed up as it should. I’d like to keep her for a day or two for observation.

 

“She’s resting now, but if you would like to-” He motions to the hallway and Henry jumps to his feet and follows the doctor as he leaves the room. Snow and David follow quickly behind him, the pirate leaving the room without a glance back at Regina.

 

Regina moves to stand, but her legs tremble and she doesn’t dare to place any weight on them just yet. She rests her elbows on her knees, head in her hands, and the tears she thought had since dried up fall easily from her eyes again.

 

She sucks in a breath, and tries to calm her breathing; Regina’s attempts to steady her breaths fail miserably, the tears falling faster as she muffles a sob in her hands.

 

_ Emma is alive. She will be just fine. _

 

But the thought only makes the tears fall faster, even as her stomach surges in relief. 

 

She doesn’t hear David approach and startles when a hand is placed on her shoulder. “Regina?” he says. 

 

She wipes her eyes and looks up, giving him a watery smile. “I’m sorry,” she says, wincing at how her voice cracks.

 

“No,” David says. “You saved my daughter’s life. Whale said it himself. Had you not closed the wound when you did-” He takes a deep breath. “She is alive because of you, Regina.”

 

She squeezes her eyes shut. “It wasn’t just me, David. I couldn’t have done it by myself.” She opens her eyes, and while they are still brimming with tears, they do not fall.

 

“Whatever she is planning, whatever motivation she has for helping you save Emma’s life, it doesn’t matter. Because whatever it is, Emma will be here to help us fight it.

 

“Now let’s go see Emma,” he says and takes her hand, pulling her to her feet. He releases her hand when the reach the hallway, instead taking her arm in his. She leans into his side as he leads her to Emma.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writers and artists spent months creating the fics and art you enjoy - it would mean the world to them if you commented to tell them what you liked! The SQSupernova team is also sponsoring a contest for commenters, and you can find out more [here](http://sqsupernova.tumblr.com/post/164792441694/announcing-the-sqsn-comments-contest-a-reward-for).


	2. Chapter 2

A light breeze blows in from the open hospital room window, ruffling Regina’s hair, where she sits in a folding chair across from Emma’s bed. Hook slumps in the chair at Emma’s bedside, staring dejectedly in front of him.

 

Regina looks down at the book in her hands; hours later and she’s only managed a handful of chapters. She sighs, and closes her eyes, resting the book on her lap. When Regina’s dark brown eyes reopen, Hook is glaring at her; she raises an eyebrow.

 

“Is there a problem, Your Majesty?” he asks, just disguising his sneer.

 

“Yes, there are many problems right now, Captain. Where should I begin?” Regina asks, arms crossed over her chest.

 

Hook opens his mouth, but Regina silences him with a glare. “This situation is no easier on the rest of it than it is on you. Don’t think for a second that everyone is having an easier time dealing with all this than you are.”

 

“Had your magic actually done its job in the beginning, Emma wouldn’t be here right now,” he comments loudly, waving his hook over Emma’s sleeping frame.

 

“You think I don’t know that,” Regina hisses. “And keep your voice down. The last thing Emma needs is her boyfriend getting himself kicked out of the hospital -- as entertaining as it may be.” The corner of her lips quirk up in a smile.

 

He reaches forward with his hand and takes Emma’s in his own. “I’m not leaving here until she wakes up,” he says and leans forward to press a kiss to her hand. Regina’s nose wrinkles in disgust.

 

“All the more reason for her to wake up soon,” Regina says under her breath as she picks her book back up and continues her guise of reading to pass the time. 

 

They fall into silence for a time, Hook letting go of Emma’s hand as he stares off into space. The soft voices of the nurses filtering in through the partially open doorway and the quiet drip of the IV are the only sounds to be heard. 

 

Regina just looks up from her book when she sees it, a twitch of the blankets at the foot of the bed. She jumps to her feet and moves to the side of the bed. She takes Emma’s hand in hers, thumb brushing gently over the back of it.

 

“Emma,” she says, and reaches forward with her other hand to brush the hair from Emma’s forehead. Emma’s hand squeezes hers lightly before her eyes blink open, squinting at the light of the room.

 

“R’gina?” she mumbles, voice rough from sleeping all night and most of the day.

 

“Swan,” Hook cries, leaning over her.

 

“Killian,” Emma says, and looks up at him with a smile. 

 

“I was afraid I’d lost you,” he says, and takes her her other hand.

 

“Why don’t you alert the nurse that Emma is awake,” Regina tells Hook. He glares at her, but agrees when Emma squeezes his hand and lets it go.

 

“As you wish,” Hook says. He pushes open the door and leaves the room.

 

“How are you feeling?” Regina asks when Hook is gone, giving Emma the gentlest of smiles.

 

“Uh.” Emma stretches out, moving each limb and wincing. “Sore. Definitely sore. What happened?”

 

“What’s the last thing you remember?” Regina asks, still stroking the back of Emma’s hand.

 

“The figure under the hood, we fought and-” She looks down to her stomach and lets go of Regina’s hand to pull her hospital gown up over her stomach, blankets falling low on her hips. “But? Didn’t...” She runs her fingers over the barely visible line across her stomach. 

 

“Did you think I was going to just leave you there to die? Really Miss Swan, I thought we established long ago that  _ I don’t want to kill you _ , so god forbid I let someone else do so either.”

 

Emma laughs quietly and pulls her gown back down over herself, before reaching out and taking Regina’s hand again. “Really, though? You did that?” She rubs over her stomach. “That was a hell of a wound, Regina.” 

 

Regina’s shoulders tense and Emma’s eyes narrow at the movement. “I thought we already established that I did,” Regina says, voice harsh in her defensive state.

 

“And I thought we already established that I always know when you’re lying,” Emma says, eyes narrowing.

 

“I’m not lying about anything. I  _ did _ heal your wound,” Regina says. Emma stares at her for a moment before sighing, and suddenly she is the one rubbing her thumb over the back of Regina’s hand in comfort.

 

“I know you’re not,” Emma says, leaning back against her pillow and closing her eyes and she runs her other hand through her hair. “But I do know there’s something you’re not telling me.” She yawns loudly and looks back at Regina. “But whatever it is can wait until I’m actually awake.”

 

Regina’s lips form a tight line, but she nods. Emma gives her an encouraging smile, and after a moment of fighting to keep her face straight, she cracks into a smile. “I’m glad you’re okay, Emma.”

 

Emma laces their fingers together and her smile grows wider. “You can’t get rid of me so easily-”

 

Hook walks back into the room, Nurse Ratched behind him. He glances down at Regina and Emma’s entwined fingers with a frown. Emma follows his gaze and, with a small sigh, untangles their fingers. Hook moves back to his side, on the other side of her bed, and immediately takes ahold of her hand. He sends a smirk to Regina that Emma misses as she gazes down at her own blanket covered body.

 

The nurse walks up beside Regina, close enough that their arms brush. Emma’s eyes zero in on their touching arms, and Regina inches away.

 

“Are you feeling any pain? Anything in your abdomen?” Nurse Ratched asks.

 

Emma shakes her head. “No.”

 

“You’re just lucky the mayor was there. She saved your life,” she says and smiles at Regina. She puts a hand on Regina’s arm, squeezing it; her hand stays in place for too long to be considered just a friendly gesture.

 

Regina’s lips press together tightly as she steps from Nurse Ratched’s grasp, and moves to the foot of the bed.

 

Hook looks on amused, keeping his laughter inside. 

 

Emma glares at the nurse. “I’m awake and I feel fine. Can I get out of this place now?”

 

“That is for the doctor to decide,” Nurse Ratched says. “I’ll let him know that you’re awake.” She smiles at Regina one last time and leaves the room.

 

“Where is Henry?” Emma asks when she’s gone, looking back at Regina.

 

“Your parents are bringing him by after school,” Regina says, glancing at the clock on the wall. “They should be here anytime.”

 

“What all does he know?” Emma asks.

 

“Everything. As much as I wanted to send him away last night, we both know he never would have been okay with that,” Regina says.

 

Emma bites her lip and nods. “No, he wouldn’t have been.”

 

“He’s a strong lad,” Hook says. “The boy will be just fine.”

 

Emma smiles up at him. Regina wonders if she’s just projecting when the smile doesn’t seem to reach Emma’s eyes.

 

“Why don’t you go and call the lad then? See if he’s on his way,” Hook says looking to Regina. She glances down to Emma, and waits for the woman to nod before stepping into the hallway.

 

Regina dials Henry’s number on her cell phone and walks down the hall as she waits for him to pick up.

 

“Hi, Mom,” Henry greets. “Is Ma awake yet? Regina smiles at the enthusiasm in her son’s voice.

 

“Yes, she woke up just a little while ago,” Regina says.

 

“Gram, Gramps! Ma’s awake,” Henry tells his grandparents and Regina can hear their excited responses through the phone. “We’re just a few blocks away; make sure she stays awake until we get there.”

 

Regina laughs. “I will try my best, but you know how stubborn your mother can be.” She hangs up the phone and walks back down the hall. She freezes in the doorway when she sees Hook bending over Emma’s bed, his hand wrapped around her neck as he kisses her. She clears her throat. “Am I interrupting something?”

 

Emma instantly jerks away from Hook and leans her head to the side to get him to remove his hand from her neck. Her cheeks blush a deep red. “Sorry.”

 

“There’s no need to apologize. He is your boyfriend after all,” she says, and if her gaze falls to Hook, full of distaste, she really can’t be blamed because it’s nothing in comparison to the sneer he sends her way.

 

“Henry is on his way with your parents,” Regina says, turning her attention back to Emma. “He made me promise that I would not let you fall asleep before he got here.” That pulls a genuine laugh out of Emma.

 

“I don’t know if I’ll make it much longer when he does get here, but I’ll do my best,” she says with a grin.

 

“No one will fault you for falling asleep, you need your rest,” Regina says, fully stepping into the room.

 

“Aye, we need you healed so we can get you home,” Hook says. 

 

“I’ve only been awake for a few minutes, and I  _ want _ out of here. This bed is doing terrible things to my ass,” Emma says shifting. “You should do something about that, Madam Mayor.” Regina blushes, and Emma is quick to continue, “Not like  _ that _ . I just meant that you’re the mayor, gift the hospital with new beds. The patients and their asses will thank you for it.”

 

Regina laughs. “I know what you meant, dear.” She looks down at the foot of Emma’s bed, biting her lip to hide her smile.

 

Doctor Whale enters the room and smiles at Emma. “How are you feeling?”

 

“Fine. Just like I told the nurse,” Emma replies grumpily.

 

Regina glares at Emma, who shrinks slightly at Regina’s disapproval.

 

“The Sheriff would like to know when she can go home,” Regina says.

 

“Yeah, sorry,” Emma says.

 

Whale looks at all of Emma’s information that is logged onto the computer, and nods. “You appear to be healing as well as anyone could, having suffered the injuries that you did.”

 

“Ma.” Henry burst into the room behind Regina. “You’re still awake.” His grin stretches from ear to ear.

 

“Well, I didn’t want your mom to break her promise,” Emma says, giving Regina a grin. She returns it easily.

 

Henry sits on the edge of the bed as Snow and David walk into the room.

 

“Doctor Whale was just letting us know when Emma can be checked out,” Regina tells the newcomers.

 

Everyone turns their attention back to Whale.

 

“As I was saying, you seem to be healing well. However, I’d like to keep you for one more night just to make sure that no complications arise. If you are still showing signs of healing then I see no reason why you can’t go home tomorrow.”

 

“Okay, thanks,” Emma says. Whale smiles and leaves the room.

 

“Oh, Emma. How do you feel?” Snow asks, walking over to beside Henry and placing a hand on her daughter’s forehead.

 

“Mom,” Emma whines, but allows her mother to keep her hand where it is. “I’m not sick.”

 

“I know, Honey. But it’s easier to think of it that way, than the real reason that you are in here.” Snow’s eyes dart to Emma’s stomach quickly before returning her gaze to Emma’s face.

 

“How are you feeling?” David asks, standing at the foot of the bed.

 

“Alright,” she says. “Exhausted though.”

 

David nods. “The fight itself probably didn’t help.”

 

“No,” Emma says. She lifts an arm and winces at the ache of her muscles. Regina mentally admonishes herself for noticing Emma’s defined arm muscles. Sore or not, they are a sight to behold.

 

“But the wound is still completely healed?” Snow asks.

 

“Thanks to Regina,” Emma says with pride.

 

“And her Royal Majesty,” Hook mumbles.

 

Emma’s head snaps to him. “What?”

 

A smirk crosses over his face. “Did she forget to mention that?”

 

Emma looks back to Regina, but before she can so much as think up a response, Henry interjects.

 

“It was awesome, Mom. The Queen showed up and and we thought she was going to do something bad, but she  _ helped _ ,” Henry says.

 

“She helped?” Emma says, dumbfounded.

 

“She did,” Snow agrees.

 

“Mom’s magic wasn’t enough, but she showed up and their magic together was strong enough. Once the wound was closed Mom brought you guys here.”

 

“No,” Regina says, clearing her throat.

 

“No?” David asks.

 

Regina shakes her head. “I didn’t bring us here. The Evil Queen did.”

 

“There has to be some other reason she did,” Hook says.

 

“Because she wanted Ma to be okay,” Henry says, exasperated that no one else in the room is able to grasp this simple fact.

 

“She did? She  _ saved _ me?” Emma asks, eyes wide.

 

Regina holds herself together, arms tightening around her middle. She knew she couldn’t have saved Emma by herself, but the words still cut.

 

Snow glances at Regina, looking at her proudly. “She  _ and _ Regina saved you. I don’t know that either one of them could have done it on their own. But together, it was magic. Literately.”

 

“But why?” Emma says, still just as confused as she was a minute ago.

 

“That’s what we’ve all been wondering,” David says.

 

“I know she’s the worst parts of you,” Henry says and looks at Regina. “But even when you were The Evil Queen there was still good in you. That’s how you’ve gotten where you are. So maybe deep down there is still that same good in her.”

 

Regina smiles at her son; it’s a nice thought. “Maybe you’re right, dear,” Regina replies, though she doesn’t believe a word of it. It’s too much to ask for. But the look in The Evil Queen’s eyes when she looked down the hall where the doctor had taken Emma, flashes through Regina’s mind. Maybe The Queen doesn’t know how to love very well either.

 

Emma yawns, and Snow rubs her hand down Emma’s arm. “Go ahead and sleep now, Emma. Henry has gotten to see you.”

 

“Yeah, you should get some rest Mom.”

 

Emma smiles, already half asleep. Hook leans forward and gives her a quick kiss. “Sleep well, love.”

 

“‘Night,” Emma mumbles. Snow pulls Emma’s blankets higher around her and tucks them into her sides.

 

Emma’s breathing evens out and Snow runs her hand through Emma’s hair, and leans in to kiss her forehead. 

 

“She’s alright,” Snow says to herself, taking a deep breath. “She’s alright.” She looks up from Emma at the others in the room. Henry smiles at her, holding onto Emma’s hand as she sleeps. Regina is watching Henry, her smile proud. Hook sits back in his chair beside the bed, holding onto Emma’s other hand.

 

David is looking directly at Snow, and he smiles when their eyes meet. “She’s alright,” he agrees. 

 

They are silent for a moment, watching Emma, as well as watching each other.

 

“What are we going to do?” David asks, breaking the silence. “Whoever tried to kill Emma is still out there somewhere.”

 

“Aye,” Hook says. “There are many new people in town. It could be anyone.”

 

“Do you think somehow this could go back to Hyde?” Snow addresses the group. “Could it be possible that this was somehow set in motion before he died?”

 

Regina frowns. “I suppose it’s possible. Who knows what other connections he had back in The Land of Untold Stories and how many of those connections have followed him here.” She paces back and forth in the small space of the room. “If only there was someone…”

 

“If only there was someone who?” Snow asks.

 

“You’re not going to like this,” Regina says. She stops pacing and looks to Snow before glancing at David. “There is one person we know that was close to Hyde before he died.”

 

“Regina, no. You can’t trust anything she says,” Snow tells her.

 

“You do forget that we are the same person, Snow,” Regina says. Snow opens her mouth to disagree. “I know, I know. We  _ are _ different, but at the core we are still the same person. She may not tell me the truth, but I will know if she’s lying. It’s worth a shot.”

 

“She did save Ma,” Henry reminds them. “There has to be a reason she did that.”

 

“I don’t like it,” Snow says. “But that doesn’t really matter, does it?” Regina gives her a grim smile, picking up her coat and folding it over her arm.

 

“Keep thinking of anyone else who could know anything about what happened to Emma,” Regina says. She steps forward, taking Henry’s chin in her hand, gently tilting his face up, to place a kiss on his forehead.

 

Regina steps out of the room, slipping into her jacket as she walks down the hallway, heels clicking as she goes. Nurse Ratched meets her eyes as she passes the nurse’s station. The nurse smiles, and Regina forces a smile of her own in return. 

 

When she pushes out of the hospital doors, a crisp breeze washes over her. She takes a deep breath before disappearing in a cloud of violet smoke.

 

She arrives just outside of her family mausoleum, unlocking the door and pushing inside. As she steps down the stairs, she hears movement from below. 

 

“If you were looking to hide, this really wasn’t the place to do it,” Regina says, reaching the bottom of the stairs and leaning against the wall.

 

The Evil Queen has her back to Regina, opening and closing the drawers that line the wall. She scoffs and looks over her shoulder. “This is my vault. If I  _ were _ hiding, I would indeed go somewhere you wouldn’t think to look.” She turns back to ruffling through a drawer; she sighs and slams it shut.

 

Regina crosses her arms over her chest and raises an eyebrow. “ _ Your _ vault?”

 

“What’s yours is mine, dear,” The Queen says without turning around.

 

“That’s not quite how it works,” Regina says and pushes off from the wall. The Queen grabs an old, worn book from a shelf and drops it on a table. Regina winces as dust flies into the air.

 

The Queen opens the book and turns to the table of contents, scanning the page with a black painted nail. She clicks her tongue when she finds what she’s looking for and turns hurriedly to the page.

 

Regina looks over her shoulder and her eyes widen as she looks down at the page. “Oh, please don’t tell me you're planning on using another curse. There’s been quite enough of that.”

 

The Queen looks up at her, eyes wild. “I’m doing what you’ve been too emotional to do, while all caught up with your little  _ family _ .” She looks back to the book and skims the page, frowning as she moves to the next page.

 

“And just what, pray tell, have I neglected doing?” Regina asks, leaning her hips against the table.

 

“You and the  _ Charmings _ have been so focused on the poor princess, that you’ve yet to place any thought as to why she got where she is,” The Queen says with a sneer.

 

“You would know what we have or haven’t done, how exactly?” Regina asks, eyes twinkling.

 

The Queen pauses, page lifted mid air, before she turns it with enough force to tear the page partially from its spine.

 

“As you have -- stupidly, I might add -- forgotten, love is  _ weakness _ , and while you have been so focused over the dying princess, you haven’t given any thought to the threat in  _ your _ town,” The Queen says. 

 

Regina rolls her eyes. “Actually, that's why I'm here.”

 

The Queen’s head snaps up. “Oh, don't tell me you actually believe I'm behind this.”

 

“There are those that do believe that, but I-” her eyes narrow, “am inclined to disagree.”

 

The Queen snorts. “I’m sure the pirate was the first to bring my name into the conversation.” Regina ignore the comment, and The Queen smirks knowingly.

 

“That is not important. As you have pointed out,” Regina looks pointedly at all of her shelves that have been left in disarray, “we need to figure out who  _ is _ behind this. If anyone comes after Emma again...” The Queen’s posture stiffens. “You really are affected by all of this, aren’t you?” Regina asks.

 

The Queen adapts a haughty expression, and rolls her eyes. “It’s hard to be on top if you don’t know what you’re up against,” she says. “And if you think that has anything to do with your sad excuse for a savior, well,” she laughs loudly, “then you just continue to sink lower and lower.” Her voice is taunting, eyes dancing in the flickering candle light. 

 

Regina smiles. “Then forget about the savior. The real reason I came here is Hyde. You were closer to him than anyone else here-” The Queen cuts her off with a laugh. 

 

“Hyde was bested by his lesser half, so if you think he'd be capable of having an attack like this carried out after his death then you have more faith in him that I ever could have.” She slams the book closed and saunters across the room, back to Regina. 

 

“There was no one else he mentioned being in contact with? Anyone at all?” Regina asks, and picks up the book and puts it back in its place on the shelf. 

 

“If there was, he didn't tell me, and I didn't ask. I'm growing rather bored of this conversation, dear,” The Queen says, looking over shoulder. “If you don't go back to your savior soon, then I may just have to do it for you.” She bats her eyelashes, and spins on her five inch heels.

 

The Queen walks toward her, grin mischievous. “I’m sure there’s some fun to be had in that,” she says and stops in front of her double. She looks Regina up and down, taking in her black slacks and silk, maroon button up, before side stepping the queen. “Have fun with your research.” 

 

Regina pulls out her cell phone as she watches The Queen ascend the stairs. She dials a familiar number and puts the phone to her ear.

 

“Regina?” Snow answers.

 

“I’m going to be in my vault for the next hour or so; if I show up at the hospital before then, call me immediately,” Regina says.

 

“If you? But- Oh. The Queen?” Snow asks worriedly.

 

“She hinted that she might try,” Regina says, rubbing her palm against her temple. “If she does, don’t let on that you know. Just call me as soon as you can without making it known what you’re doing.”

 

“Okay. Did you find out anything from her?” Snow asks.

 

Regina sighs. “If she knows anything, she’s not planning on sharing that information with anyone. But if this figure under the hood does have anything to do with Hyde, I don’t think that she knows about it.”

 

She holds her phone with her shoulder and reopens the top drawer that The Queen had been digging around in. “She seems to want to know who is behind this is as much as we do,” Regina says.

 

The background voices on Snow’s end of the line go quiet, and soft footsteps echo through the line. “Do you think she wants to know because of Emma?”

 

“I think that may be a part of it, but mainly I think she’s just concerned for herself. If she can get on the good side of this figure under the hood and use that relationship to her advantage, she would. If she can benefit from it, she’ll do it, no matter who gets hurt in the crossfire,” Regina says and moves onto the next drawer.

 

“And if whatever she finds out could help Emma?” Snow asks.

 

“Then she’ll use that information, in whatever way she thinks will benefit her most,” Regina says.

 

Snow’s quiet breathing is the only sound on the other end of the line for a moment. “You really weren’t as bad as that. You do know that, don’t you, Regina?” Snow asks softly.

 

“Wasn’t I?” Regina asks, closing her eyes. “I know that I’ve changed, and I know that she is the worst parts of me. But I was still  _ her _ .” She runs a hand through her hair and lets out a breath. “But right now the only thing that matters is trying to stay one step ahead of her, and figure out who attacked Emma.”

 

“Okay,” Snow says. “Just as long as you know that we don’t blame you for anything that she has done since you’ve split, or for anything that she might do.”

 

“I know,” Regina says, opening her eyes, she goes back to her task at hand. She closes the drawer roughly before opening the next. “Just give me some time to see if I can find anything and then I’ll call you.”

 

“Good luck,” Snow says, and disconnects the call.

 

Regina tucks her phone into her pocket, and rifles through yet another drawer.

  
  
  


Emma blinks open her eyes, and then closes them tightly. The hospital room has been dimmed for the night, the light from the hallway filtering in through the crack in the open door, but it’s just bright enough to sting Emma’s eyes after having them shut for hours in sleep.

 

She cracks open her eyes again, and stretches her arms out in front of her. She catches movement to the left of her, and gasps. “Shit, Regina. I didn’t know you were still here.”

Regina smiles fondly, and crosses her legs where she sits, in the chair beside Emma’s bed. 

 

“Yes, well, your mother didn’t want you to be left alone all night. So Henry is staying at the loft with your parents,” Regina says.

 

Emma smiles and settles back into her pillow. “Thanks for staying, Regina.”

 

“You’re welcome, dear,” Regina says, brushing her hand over Emma’s knee over the blankets. Emma’s eyes drift down to her leg when Regina’s fingers brush over her thigh. Regina’s cheeks darken and she draws her hand back. 

 

There is a knock on the door before it’s pushed open and Nurse Ratched steps into the room. Her eyes briefly land on Emma and then rest on Regina, a smile tugging up the corners of her mouth. “Madam Mayor,” she greets.

 

“Nurse Ratched,” Regina says, leaning her elbows on her knees, the neckline of her shirt falling low enough to show the black lace of the bra underneath.

 

Emma and Nurse Ratched follow the movement, eyes drawn to where Regina’s shirt hangs open. Emma stares for a moment before realizing where she’s looking, and turns her gaze instead to the nurse standing on the other side of her bed. 

 

Nurse Ratched watches Regina with a leering smile, and when Regina sits back she has a smirk on her face. Emma looks from the nurse to Regina, with a frown.

 

“Did you need something, Nurse Ratched?” Emma asks. The nurse turns back to Emma a beat too slow.

 

“Y-Yes, Sheriff Swan, just coming to check your vitals,” she says, and checks Emma’s temperature, before turning to the computer in the corner of the room.

 

Nurse Ratched enters the information into the computer, her eyes searching Regina out every few seconds. Emma’s frown deepens.

 

“Is everything as it should be,  _ nurse _ ?” Regina asks, turning the word into a caress. 

 

“Yes, Your Majesty,” she says, no longer pretending to look at the computer screen.

 

“Then can we please have some privacy?” Emma snaps. “It’s late, and I’d like to get back to sleep.”

 

“Of course, Sheriff,” Nurse Ratched says to Emma, but doesn’t look away from Regina. “Is there anything I can get for you? Anything at all?”

 

Regina’s smile takes on a predatory edge. “Well-”

 

“No. Nope, we’re just fine, thanks,” Emma says, her glare burning hot enough that the nurse peels her eyes away from Regina, and backs out of the room.

 

“Well, that wasn’t very nice,” Regina says with a pout, and stands. “I’d better just-”

 

“Sit down,  _ Your Majesty _ ,” Emma snaps.

 

“Why, Miss Swan,” Regina leans over Emma, trailing a finger down her cheek, “I’d be careful, or one might think you’re  _ jealous _ ,” Regina whispers the word, and laughs. Emma bats her hand away.

 

“What did you do to Regina?” Emma asks and sits up straighter in bed.

 

The Queen sits back in her chair, lounging gracefully. “I’ve done nothing to my lesser half.” She rolls her eyes. “She is home with Henry, safe and sound. Why is it you all always jump to the conclusion that I’ve done something wrong?”

 

“Because you usually have,” Emma reminds her. The Queen waves a dismissive hand.

 

“Don’t forget, dear, that if it wasn’t for me you’d be three floors below in a body bag.” Emma frowns, but doesn’t disagree.

 

“So then, what do you want? You’re not here to have a casual conversation,” Emma says, and crosses her arms over her chest. 

 

The Queen laughs softly. “You may know my other half, but don’t assume you know  _ me _ .” She stares at Emma, with a hint of… something in her eyes that keeps Emma from fully believing anything she says. “How are you feeling?” The Queen looks down at her stomach and reaches a hand forward; Emma bats it away, yet again.

 

“You may not believe that I care, Emma. But I did expel quite a bit of energy to ensure that you live and I would hate to see that my magic did a less than excellent job of healing that wound of yours.”

 

“Well, my stomach is fine, all I have to show for it is a scar.” Emma rubs a hand over her stomach. “ _ Thank you, Your Majesty _ ,” Emma says sarcastically. The Queen stares at her for a moment and nods, a smile on her face.

 

“You’re welcome, dear,” she says.

 

“What? That’s all you have to say? You might have saved me, but that doesn’t take away from everything else you’ve done since you came to town. You have to do a lot more than that to make us believe that you actually care about what happens to me or anyone else in my family.”

 

“Well, I  _ don’t _ care about everyone in your family. Henry, of course, he is  _ our _ son after all. While I don’t care about my other half, I do have to ensure that nothing happens to her if I want to continue living. Your parents on the other hand...” A look of pure distaste marrs The Queen’s features. “I couldn’t care less about whatever fate met them in the end. I’d be more than willing to join up with the figure under the hood in that case.”

 

Emma grabs an extra pillow out from under her and chucks it at The Queen’s head. The look of absolute shock that crosses The Queen’s face makes any possible torture she is sure to throw her way absolutely worth it.

 

“Miss Swan! How dare you throw a  _ pillow _ at me. You are aware I could end your life with a flick of my wrist, are you not?” Her voice is dangerously low, and Emma shivers despite herself at the alluring tone.

 

Emma shrugs, feigning nonchalance. “I thought we already established that you want me alive.”

 

“Maybe so, but you’d still be plenty alive in a coma, and much less bothersome.” The Queen flicks her in the arm. “Or better yet, under a sleeping curse,” she squeals in delight.

 

“There are multiple people in this town that can break that curse. That curse of yours is becoming less and less effective every time it’s used,” Emma says.

 

The Queen looks her up and down, the blankets suddenly thrown off of Emma’s lower body as The Queen snaps her fingers. “I can think of plenty of other ways to get my revenge. All kinds of torture.” The Queen leans forward and trails her fingers, ever so slowly, up over Emma’s knee, bunching Emma’s gown up her thigh as The Queen’s fingers trail higher and higher.

 

Emma’s breath lodges in her throat when their eyes meet, and The Queen’s fingers near the top of her thigh.

 

“Stop,” Emma says, choking out the word. The Queen’s fingers halt their ascent, but stay where they are, tracing patterns on her skin.

 

“Are you sure about that? Because that didn’t sound very certain.” The Queen is leaning so far forward that her breath ghosts over Emma’s face. Her fingers start to move upwards again, and Emma shoves them away, and pushes her gown back down. She grabs the blankets and pulls them back over herself.

 

“If you can’t keep your hands to yourself, then you can’t stay. Are we clear on that?” Emma says.

 

“You seemed to like me not keeping my hands to myself,” The Queen purrs, the words a whisper right into her ear.

 

“None of that either,” Emma says, pushing The Queen back toward her chair.

 

“You’re no fun,” The Queen says, but sits back down.

 

“I can be plenty  _ fun _ ,” Emma says. “But not with you, and not in a hospital.”

 

“Your cheeks are still flushed dear. You may not want to have  _ fun _ with me, but your body certainly does,” The Queen says suggestively.

 

“I think it’s time for you to go,” Emma says with a sigh.

 

The Queen shows no signs of moving anytime soon. “We can keep this nice and boring if you like. Just go back to sleep, dear; you look awful.” She picks the pillow off the floor where it had landed, and tosses it back at Emma who catches it before it can hit her. 

 

Emma tucks the pillow behind her, but keeps her eyes open. “If I was going to smother you in your sleep I would have kept the pillow. Now rest.”  Emma hesitates, and The Queen sighs in response. “I will sit here in this chair and not move. Someone has got to make sure the figure under the hood doesn’t decide to come back while you’re asleep.”

 

“The Evil Queen is going to be my guardian angel?” Emma asks dubiously.

 

“I wear many hats. Now sleep,” she says. Emma stares at her for a moment longer before nestling into her pillows and closing her eyes.

 

“Good night, Princess,” The Queen says, and Emma’s already half asleep by the time The Queen gets the words out.


	3. Chapter 3

“Stop fidgeting, dear. You can’t go anywhere until Whale says so. So do try to relax,” Regina says, looking up from her book with a raised brow.

 

Emma sighs and throws herself back against the pillows of her hospital bed. She crosses her skinny jean clad legs one over the other; the hem of her white tank top inches upwards, pale stomach slowly revealed more and more as she stretches her arms over her head.

 

“I know, but how long does it take for Whale to sign off on everything. I’m beginning to think he’s taking his time on purpose.” Emma glares at the open door.

 

Regina sets her book down on the small table beside her. “I’m not one to stand behind everything Whale does, but I do think you are being just a bit dramatic.” Emma glares at her, but Regina just smiles in return.

 

“I think Emma’s got a point,” Hook says, from where he leans against the wall opposite Emma’s bed. “How long do we have to spend in this hospital?”

 

Emma looks at Regina as if to say,  _ see, I’m not the only one who thinks so _ . 

 

“You  _ are _ being dramatic, Ma,” Henry says, from Regina’s side. “But I do want us to get home and get settled.”

 

Emma leans up on her elbows. “Henry, you’re going home with your mom. I don’t want you staying at my house if whoever tried to kill me comes back,” she says.

 

“So you should be alone so no one is there to help if the figure comes back to hurt you again?” Henry asks, his tone so similar to Regina’s that Emma really does think nurture wins out over nature.

 

Regina puts a hand on Henry’s arm. “Your mother and I are going to put wards on the house. We’ll make sure it’s as safe as possible; there’s no need for you to worry,” Regina says soothingly.

 

“Great, so then there’s no reason I can’t stay with Ma,” Henry says. His grin stretches across his face, certain in his argument.

 

“Henry, I love you, but I want you to stay with your mom,” Emma says. “No matter the precautions we take, there is still a target on my back, and the closer you are to me, the bigger risk of you getting caught in the crossfire.” She sits up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed, facing Henry.

 

“So we just leave you alone to fight this all on your own?” Henry asks, his hands forming fists on his lap. “We’re a  _ family _ , Ma, and that means we fight this  _ together _ .”

 

“That is exactly what it means, Henry,” Regina says. She takes Henry's hands, uncurling his fists and rubbing her thumbs over his palms. “We are going to do everything we can to keep your mother safe. All of us. Together. Regardless of you staying with your mother or not.”

 

“If I can't stay with Ma,” Henry’s eyes gleam as the idea strikes him, “then why doesn’t she just stay with us? That way she’s not all alone, and you have both of your magic to protect her and me.” He turns from Regina to Emma, waiting for them to see the brilliance of his plan.

 

“Henry-” Regina begins, but it’s in that moment that Hook decides to remind them all of his presence in the room.

 

“Why don’t I stay at Emma’s place. That way she is not alone, and the lad won’t be put in any danger.”

 

Henry frowns. “But you don’t have magic.” He continues looking from one mom to the other, waiting for one of them to agree with him. “If magic was barely able to save Ma, then is a sword or a gun going to be any help?”

 

“They’re going to put wards on the house,” Hook says and waves his arm toward Emma and Regina. “And I can protect your mother just fine.” His face is screwed up in annoyance at the implications that he is no help in keeping his girlfriend safe.

 

“I think that-” Emma says, but Hook turns his gaze solely on her.

 

“No, Swan. You don’t need to stay with Henry and Her Majesty. I will stay with you; there’s no reason to put them out,” Hook says. He sends Regina a leering smile, and her eyes narrow into a glare.

 

Henry grabs Regina’s hand, and she looks down at him, letting out a breath.

 

“If that’s what you want, Emma. If it’s not, I hope you know that staying with us would never be putting Henry or I out,” Regina says, her smile soft and genuine.

 

“I-thanks, Regina.” Emma glances up at Hook, his face still stearn, and her shoulders sag. “But Hook can stay with me; it’s fine, really.” She picks at the hem of her tank top, and Regina’s eyes narrow in on the action.

 

Regina watches her silently for a moment, and nods. She doesn’t need Emma’s superpower to see the truth, but now is not the time.

 

Right at that moment, Doctor Whale enters the room with Emma’s release papers. “How would you feel about an early dinner at Granny’s?” Regina murmurs to Henry.

 

He looks over at Hook and Emma, before turning his attention back to his mother. “Okay.”

 

They say their goodbyes, and make a silent journey to the car and then to Granny’s.

 

“You know that’s not what Ma, wanted, right?” Henry blurts out once they’ve settled into their booth. The words come out in a rush that makes it clear he’s been holding them in since they left the hospital. 

 

“Your mother made her decision, Henry. We can’t force her into staying somewhere that she does not want to be,” Regina says, opening her menu without glancing down at it.

 

“But she does want to stay with us,” Henry argues; he picks at the edge of his menu. 

 

“Your mother made a decision, and we can’t take that away from her. Whether it is what she wanted or not, it was her choice to make.” She takes his hand across the table and squeezes it.

 

“But Hook didn’t give her a choice.”

 

“And what would that say about us if we tried to force her into staying with us?” Regina asks.

 

“But you can protect her, Mom. She’d be safer with us,” Henry says, now the one to squeeze his mother’s hand in reassurance.

 

“Maybe, maybe not. But for now, all we can do is make sure Emma is as safe as she can be, wherever she is.” She gives her son a sad smile. “Your mother would much rather you spend your time eating a burger and fries than dwelling on her safety.” She nods at the menu on the table.

 

“Really?” He asks, his face lighting up with excitement.

 

“This once, I suppose,” she says, fighting a smile, and looks down to her own menu.

  
  
  


Regina leans back in her office chair, pushing her hair back from her eyes. She takes a deep breath and then leans back over her desk, looking down at the paperwork awaiting her signature.

 

She tries to read the words again, to make some sense of them, but the words all blur together in her mind. She honestly couldn't give a damn about zoning for whatever new business whatever dwarf -- Sleepy, Grumpy? Regina’s already forgotten his name -- wants to open.

 

How could anyone be worrying about opening a new business when Emma almost  _ died _ ? When whoever tried to kill her is  _ still _ out there? She rubs roughly at her temples before pushing the papers across her desk and rolling her chair back. She marches to the window and pulls the curtain back, looking out over her town, scrutinizing, as if whoever this monster is will just be strolling down mainstreet.

 

But Archie is walking Pongo. Ruby is on her way to the diner. One of the dwarfs rides down the sidewalk on his bike. Nothing is out of the ordinary.

 

Sighing, she leans against the windowpane, and stares in the direction of Emma’s house. Wards have been placed on the home, and they’ve yet to find something or someone who is a match for their combined magic. So while logically she knows Emma is as safe as she can be right now, her stomach twists and turns into tangled knots and tries its damndest to convince her otherwise.

 

She looks back at her desk, at it’s so rarely messy surface, and disappears in a cloud of purple magic.

 

Not much has changed where the dirigible crashed all those months ago. It hides in the shadows of the tall trees, and Regina steps over moss covered debris, brushing cobwebs out of her way as she steps inside. 

 

The thick curtains allow only a trickle of light inside, and Regina can barely make out the faint outline of forgotten trinkets littering the floor. She conjures a flame in her hand, and lets its light guide her way.

 

Nothing looks as if it’s been touched, as if anyone has came back to hide since finding a home safely inside of Storybrooke. Intricate brass light fixtures lie broken on the floor, leaving a torn gap in the wall from which they’d fallen. 

 

A table, with two of its legs broken, leans against the floor, the glass dishes that once rested upon it lie shattered on the floor. Regina carefully steps over the mess.

 

A tattered curtain blocks the entrance to the next room, and fireball still held cautiously in one hand, she uses her other to push the curtain aside. The fire casts an eerie glow upon the room, and scuttering can be heard the moment she steps fully inside, letting the curtain fall closed behind her.

 

“Hello?” Regina calls, eyes falling on a bookcase that landed on its side during the crash, and dart to the books scattered on the floor like cobblestones before it. A bunk bed stands against the opposite wall, mattress hanging precariously from its perch; the blankets sport the smallest of patchwork holes.

 

The sound gets louder, closer- and a squirrel darts from behind the bookcase and runs under the bed. Regina releases the breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding.

 

She strides through the room, more confident that the only life she’s going to run into are those that have been here since before the town was created. 

 

Just as she steps into the next room, her phone blares to life, that obnoxious pop song Henry set for Emma’s calls, echoing through the deserted room. She loses her concentration and the room goes dark as her fireball fades away.

 

“Hello?” Regina says, her voice sharper than she intends.

 

“You okay?” Emma asks, concern seeping undisguised. through her tone.

 

“Yes, dear. I’m fine,” she says, voice gentling in a wordless apology as she re-conjures the flame.

 

“Oh, okay. Good. You never know, with everything that’s been going on,” Emma says.

 

“Indeed,” Regina says. She looks around the room, and it’s much the same as the last two: various furnishing strewn about, each as battered and broken as the last. “What was it you needed?”

 

It’s a moment before Emma speaks. “So I know I said I wanted to stay at my place with Killian, and that I wanted Henry to stay with you -- which I do -- but I don’t want to be confined to it, you know?”

 

Regina’s stomach twists for a whole new reason, and she tries to ignore the feeling. 

 

“It’s just that I almost  _ died _ , and as much as I worry that he’ll be put in danger around me, I  _ need _ to be around him. I figure that if he’s around both of us together, he’ll be alright. If this figure under the hood does kill me, I just want to makes sure I got to spend as much time with- with Henry, as I can.”

 

Regina leans against the doorjamb as she listens to Emma’s words come out faster and faster as she struggles to get her point across.

 

“But I just want to make sure that’s okay with you. If you think it’s best that I stay away, as much as I would hate it, I will. I don’t want to put you in danger; I don’t want to put  _ either  _ of you in danger.”

 

“Emma, we have all been in enough danger since you broke the first curse, that we really should be used to it by now,” Regina says with an exasperated sigh. “There’s no sense in being any more afraid of this latest threat than we have the rest.” She turns and walks from the room, back to the dirigible’s exit.

 

“Yeah,” Emma says, letting out a discomforted laugh. “I’m just afraid of someone getting caught in the crossfire, when the only one this stranger seems to be after is me.”

 

“We can fight this together, Emma,” Regina says. She steps outside, and takes a deep breath of the fresh air. “There are wards around my house as well; why don’t you come over for dinner tonight? Just you, me and Henry.”

 

“I’d like that,” Emma says, and Regina can hear the smile in her voice.

 

“Good, then that’s settled. Was there anything else you needed, Miss Swan?” Regina asks, a smile tugging at the edge of her mouth.

 

“Nah, I should probably get back to work anyway. I’ll see you tonight, Regina,” Emma says.

 

“I’ll see you tonight, dear. Now get back to work; I don’t know what I’m paying you for half the time,” Regina says, feigning annoyance. 

 

“Fine, fine, I’m going,” Emma says with a laugh before she hangs up.

 

Regina’s smile is still stretched firmly across her face when she slips her cell phone back into her blazer pocket.

 

“Aw how sweet is this?” The Queen says, and Regina just barely keeps herself from jumping at the surprise. She leans against the nearest tree, her royal blue dress hugging her -- their -- curves. “Let me guess? Talking to the Princess?”

 

Regina’s smile turns to a frown, and The Queen smirks. “I mean, I suppose that is a good thing, after all. It means she has still managed to evade death,” The Queen continues.

 

“What do you want?” Regina says, her good mood from talking to Emma now gone. 

 

“Well, obviously you’re trying to find any clues that will lead you back to the hooded figure,” she says, stepping away from the tree and sweeping her arms out toward the dirigible. “Any luck with that?” Her voice is taunting.

 

“Why do you care? Oh, wait, you’re just looking out for yourself. That’s not really a cause I feel like supporting,” Regina says and now she is the one to smirk. 

 

“Maybe you don’t, but I think your dear, sweet Emma, would disagree,” The Queen says, batting her eyelashes. “She does seems to enjoy this side of us.” She sways her hips slightly, her skirt flowing around her.

 

Regina steps forward out of instinct. “What did you do to Emma?” The words are a snarl.

 

“Not so much what I did, as it is what she let me do,” she teases, her smile stretching wide.

 

“Emma would never,” Regina says, her eyes dark. She takes deep calming breaths, and tries to get her sudden burst of anger under control.

 

“I think you’d be surprised what Emma  _ would _ do,” The Queen says. “Separating us has left you rather prudish, hasn’t it?”

 

“Ah, so you’re just here to try and get under my skin,” Regina says, nodding in understanding.

 

“Well, you see, dear, I don’t really have to try; you just make it so easy to do,” The Queen says and walks towards Regina, circling her like a lion ready to attack it’s prey. “At the very mention of  _ The Savior _ you go all mushy and soft. It’s quite pathetic.” The Queen stops in her pacing, and taps a finger against her temple in thought. “No wonder she prefer me to you. Besides the way you dress,” she gestures to Regina’s black slacks and blazer, “is hardly befitting of a queen.”

 

Regina sighs. “I’m getting rather bored of all your ranting. You think  _ so _ highly of yourself, I know; I was you once,” Regina reminds her. “Is there any point at all to this conversation?”

 

“Other than to remind you in how much you are failing your Princess and yourself? Not especially at the moment, but I do find it to be rather... _ invigorating _ ,” The Queen says, her eyes sparkling.

 

“As enlightening as this conversation has been, I really must-” Regina’s cellphone starts ringing again. She sighs are pulls it roughly from her pocket.

 

“What?” She snaps into the phone, without looking into the caller ID. “This isn’t really a good-”

 

“Regina,” Hook says into the line, her name laced with so much panic that her blood turns cold.

 

“What’s wrong? Is Emma-” Regina asks in a rush. The Queen’s taunting demeanor instantly turns serious. She quickly walks to her other half’s side, listening into the one half of the conversation she can hear.

 

“I went to the station to see her, and the wound-” he chokes on the word. The dread in the pit of Regina’s stomach instantly takes over her entire body.

 

Without another word, she transports herself and The Queen to the station.

 

“What is the meaning of-” The Queen begins, but the words fall short when she takes in the sheriff laying on the floor, her shirt bunched up to reveal the, once again, open gash on her stomach. Blood streams from the wound and onto the floor. “Oh.” The Queen sucks in a startled breath.

 

“You didn’t think to put pressure on the wound?” Regina snaps at Hook as she hurries to Emma and sinks down beside her. She lifts her hands and her magic flows out in violet streams. “Are you going to help or not?” Regina calls over her shoulder to The Queen.

 

“Right,” The Queen says, and her smirk is back in place as she stalks forward. “Out of my way, Pirate.” Hook is flung ten feet back and crashes into a filing cabinet as she passes him.

 

She kneels down on Emma’s other side, and brushes her palms together before joining her magic with Regina’s. 

 

“R’gina?” Emma slurs, cracking her eyes open. Her face is twisted up in pain, and she sucks in a sharp breath, when Regina forces her magic even faster from her fingertips.

 

“It’s okay, Emma. You’re going to be okay,” Regina says, voice strained, not allowing herself to imagine any other outcome.

 

“The’re two of you,” Emma mumbles as her eyes drift between the two Reginas. “So pretty.” A hint of smile sneaks into Emma’s pained expresses for a brief moment. 

 

“As much as I love your compliments, Princess, I hardly think now is the time,” The Queen says between clenched teeth. She looks to Regina in confusion as the flow of blood slows only by the slightest increment at their combined magic. 

 

Regina’s forehead scrunches in frustration as she meets the Queen’s gaze. “What did you do last time? Because you’re clearly not doing it now,” Regina snaps.

 

“I am doing every bit of what I did last time. Something is different,” The Queen hisses. She looks back down, and lowers her hands directly onto Emma’s skin, feeling the slipperiness of blood on her hands. Emma sucks in another sharp breath. “Come on, Princess. Why are you fighting this?” Emma lets out a soft grunt in response.

 

The Queen looks to Regina again, her eyebrow raised in question. Regina nods, and lowers her hands onto Emma’s abdomen. She tries not to flinch at the blood she feels running beneath her hands. 

 

At the touch of the Reginas’ hands pressing magic directly onto the wound, the bleeding lets up the slightest amount. A small tendril of hope crawls its way into the pit of Regina’s stomach. “Come on, Emma. You can fight this. You’ve done it before and you can do it again.”

 

The Queen is silent as they continue to pour their magic into The Savior, and minute by minute, the color begins to return to Emma’s skin. She spreads her fingers looking through the gaps, as Emma’s skin laces itself back together.

 

When the skin is firmly closed together, Regina waves a hand over the mess of blood covering their bodies and the floor. Emma sucks in a breath when the purple magic recedes back into Regina and The Queen’s hands, and she opens her eyes.

 

“Fuck.” She takes another deep breath. “We’ve got to stop meeting like this,” Emma says to The Queen.

 

The Queen smirks, but it’s softer, more gentle, than before. “What did I say?” She raises an eyebrow at Regina. “She wants me around.”

 

“Emma is smarter than to fall for your lies, no matter how pretty you make them sound,” Regina says.

 

Emma reaches out her hands and takes Regina’s and The Queen’s hands in her own. “Ugh, guys. I almost died. Can we stop the arguing for five minutes?” Emma asks, eyes falling closed again.

 

Regina gives Emma an apologetic smile that she doesn’t see. “Of course, dear. I apologize.”

 

“‘S okay,” Emma says.

 

The Queen stares down at the hand that Emma holds in wonder. Emma opens her eyes and watches her. “Thank you,” Emma whispers. The Queen startles and lifts her gaze to Emma.

 

“What?” she asks, just as softly. Emma gives her a gentle smile.

 

“You saved me. Again. Both of you.” Emma turns her smile on Regina, and squeezes both of their hands.

 

Regina clears her throat, but her words still come out hoarse. “We’re just lucky that Queenie here thought it would be a good time to terrorize me.”

 

“And you thought there was no point in me doing so. Now you won’t be so quick to send me away next time, will you?” The Queen asks and Regina rolls her eyes.

 

“It was lucky.” Emma ignores The Queen’s comment. “Thank you,” Emma says again.

 

“Anytime,” Regina says, and with her free hand, she brushes Emma’s hair from her forehead and tucks it behind her ear.

 

“Emma?” Hook says with a groan as he returns to consciousness.

 

“Killian?” Emma turns her head to the side, lips brushing against the palm of Regina’s hand that still rests against the side of her head. Regina’s cheeks darken as she pulls her hand away. The Queen looks from Regina’s hand to blush stained cheeks and gives her a wicked smile.

 

“Why are you on the floor?” Emma asks, oblivious to the exchange going on between Regina and The Queen.

 

“Because  _ Her Majesty _ decided to throw me across the room for sport,” Hook says, struggling to his feet.

 

“You were in my way. You did want me to save your girlfriend, did you not?” The Queen asks. 

 

Emma tugs on The Queen’s hand. “There are better ways to get someone out of your way, and I know that you know that.”

 

“But none of them are quite as effective. Or as quick,” The Queen says. She pulls her hand to rest on her knees, but doesn’t release Emma’s.

 

“You’ve saved Emma more than once, but you still haven’t given us any other reason to allow you to stick around,” Hook says.

 

“First off, you don’t  _ allow _ me to do anything. I will do what I please. Secondly, you would think that saving your girlfriend’s life would rank pretty high for important things that I can do for you.” The Queen looks down to Emma. “You really could do much better, Princess. You have multiple options, just in this room alone. Why, there isn’t a single one of us that wouldn’t-”

 

“Enough,” Regina says, forcing the word to come out even. “Emma needs to rest, not endure this ridiculous banter.”

 

“I am pretty tired,” Emma says, closing her eyes, snuggling slightly into Regina’s knees, where they press against her side.

 

“Well,” The Queen says, releasing Emma’s hand and resting it gently against her stomach. “I really must be going. Call me when you are failing, once again, to save your girlfriend.” A cloud of purple engulfs her and she disappears from the room.

 

Emma is snoring softly by the time The Queen is gone. “Well I should get Emma-” Hook begins.

 

“You will wake her if you so much as try to move her. I’ll get her home just fine,” Regina tells the pirate, and before he can say another word, her and Emma are gone, leaving him all alone at the station.


	4. Chapter 4

“So what are we looking for exactly?” Emma asks, picking up a small golden trinket off one of the many shelves inside Regina’s vault.

 

“Anything we can find on that sword. Your wound shouldn’t have been able to reopen like that-” Regina looks up from the ancient tome on the table in front of her. “Put that down,” she says, stepping around the table and snatching a small vial, filled with a glittering black liquid, out of Emma’s hands. “You can’t just go picking up everything that you see. Some of the things in here are dangerous.”

 

Regina turns around, going back to her book. Emma glances back to the shelve, her fingers just a hairsbreadth away from an emerald jewelry box. “Emma,” Regina snaps from the other side of the table. “What did I just tell you? No. Touching.”

 

“Sorry,” Emma mumbles, returning her hands to her sides and looking properly chastised.

 

“As I was saying,” Regina looks back down to the book in front of her, scanning the page before turning it, “your wound shouldn’t have reopened. So there must be something more to that sword, and maybe I can find out what that is.” 

 

Regina continues reading, a slim finger tracing the lines as she goes. She sucks in a sharp breath, and freezes.

 

“Did you find something?” Emma asks eagerly, moving quickly to the table, in front of Regina.

 

After a moment, Regina meets Emma’s eyes, swallowing visibly. “What...what if it had nothing to do with the sword,” Regina says softly, her voice barely above a whisper. “What if I didn’t heal it properly? What if my magic wasn’t enough to save you?” Her eyes are wide, glistening, her hand trembling where it rests on the book.

 

“Regina, hey, no.” Emma moves quickly around the table. She puts a hand on Regina’s shoulder and turns her around so they are facing. “Your magic  _ was _ enough. I wouldn’t be here right now if it wasn’t for you. You  _ did _ save me.”

 

Regina looks down, refusing to meet Emma’s eyes. The hand on Regina’s shoulder squeezes gently, and with her other hand, Emma puts a finger underneath Regina’s chin tilting her head back up to face her. “Look at me,” Emma says, quietly. “You can’t blame yourself for what happened. We have no idea what’s causing this, and have you ever heard of a wound reopening after being healed with magic?”

 

Regina shakes her head, causing Emma’s finger to drop and she moves it to rest on Regina’s other shoulder. “But that doesn’t mean it hasn’t happened before,” Regina says. “If it has, we need to find some sort of information on how to counteract it, before it happens again.” Her face turns pensive.

 

“That’s a good plan, however, I don’t think that’s where we should start. Doctor Whale said the scans came back clear; there wasn’t a single sign showing what happened to me. If there was something wrong with how you healed me he would have caught it.

 

“We should start with the sword; I think it’s our best bet,” Emma says with a nod. She gives Regina’s shoulders one last squeeze before dropping her hands. She turns and looks down at the book.

 

Regina turns back to it as well, her arm brushing against Emma’s. “I just don’t want to be the cause of you getting hurt. If something happened to you and it was my fault, I couldn’t-” Her breath catches in her throat, the words refusing to come.

 

“No,” Emma says fiercely, looking at Regina. “Stop thinking like that. Stop throwing a pity party. If something happens to me because you were too busy feeling sorry for yourself instead of helping to find out what is  _ really _ going on, then you can blame yourself. But right now I need you. You are our best chance of understanding whatever curse might have been put on the sword.

 

“You saved me, and we both know you’re going to do it again and again until my time is actually up, and even then it still won’t be your fault. Unless you, you know, go all Evil Queen on us again and decide to go after me,” Emma says the last part with a grin.

 

Her smiles grows when Regina finally meets her eyes. “See, it’s not your fault.”

 

Emma lifts a hand and cups Regina’s cheek, and she leans into The Savior’s touch unintentionally, a soft smile turning up the corners of her lips. Their quiet breathing the only noise to fill the room as they look at each other, neither one daring to look away.

 

Emma’s gaze drops to Regina lips. Regina’s eyes widen and she sucks in a sharp, but quiet, breath.

 

Emma turns her body toward Regina, leaning closer. But as she turns, she bumps into the table, knocking over an intricate black vase that rolls onto the stone floor, shattering on impact.

 

“Shit,” Emma says, jumping back and kneeling over the pile of broken glass, hands outstretched, as if to push the pieces back together.

 

Regina stands frozen, the air leaving her lungs in a rush, hardly noticing the scene before her.

 

“Shit,” Emma says again. “I’m so sorry, Regina. I didn’t mean to. I was just-” She cuts herself off, eyes going wide. “I mean, I leaned too close to the table. Too clumsy. I’ll buy you a new one.” The words come out quickly, all strung together.

 

Regina blinks, and looks down at Emma. “It’s quite alright, dear.” Her words come out roughly, and she clears her throat. She waves her hand and the pieces float back together until they are whole and the vase rests back upon the table. “See, no harm done.”

 

“Still. I’m sorry I did that,” Emma says, looking at her feet. Regina gets the feeling she’s talking about more than just the vase. 

 

“You’re already forgiven,” Regina says, reaching an arm out towards Emma, who’s eyes snap toward the movement so quickly that Regina falters, dropping her arm back down to her side. “We should get back to trying to find something about the sword.” She turns a page of the book roughly enough that it strains, nearly tearing. “There’s another book on that shelf. Why don’t you read through that one.” She points to a shelf across the room without looking up.

 

Emma’s shoulders tense. “Yeah, okay,” she says and moves across the room. She picks up the book, and turns back around. She looks toward the table and hesitates. A metal stool to her right catches her eye, and she moves toward it and sits.

 

She balances the book awkwardly on her lap, and resigns herself to an inevitable aching back.

  
  
  


“Mom?” Henry calls, knocking on the half-open door of Regina’s home study.

 

“Yes, Henry?” Regina asks, looking up from her desk, black rimmed glasses perched on her nose. Henry pushes the door open the rest of the way and steps inside the room.

 

“Did you and Ma find anything in the vault today?” he asks, leaning back against the arm of the sofa where it faces Regina’s desk.

 

“No,” Regina says with a sigh. She leans back in her chair and sets her glasses on top of an open book. “But that doesn’t mean I’m not trying.” She waves her arms at the piles of books stacked haphazardly across the desk’s surface.

 

“I know you are,” Henry says. He steps up to the desk and lifts open the cover of a book before letting it fall closed with a soft thud. “I know you’re trying harder than anyone else. You and Ma don’t fight each other anymore; you fight  _ for _ each other.”

 

“Henry,” Regina says softly, with a smile, and reaches for his hand.

 

He lets her take his hand in her own. “If there is anything to find in any of these books you’ll find it; I know you will…” His gaze drifts downward.

 

“But?” Regina asks.

 

“But what if it isn’t soon enough?” His voice is quiet, and he appears to shrink into himself.

 

“It’s alright to be worried. What is happening to your mother is…”

 

“Terrifying,” Henry whispers. Regina stands and walks around her desk and leads Henry to the couch.

 

“Yes, it is terrifying,” she says, sitting beside Henry and pulling him into her side. “But we can’t let that fear dictate our every thought. We can be cautious and we can try and find everything we can about what is happening to your mother, but we can’t let it consume us.”

 

“I know, but it’s hard not to think about it. The wound reopened once, so what if it does happen again? What if The Queen isn’t there to help this time?” His voice is thick and when he looks up, tears are running down his cheeks.

 

“I know it’s hard not to think about,” Regina says, wrapping her arms tighter around him. “But it doesn’t help anyone to dwell on what could happen; your mother reminded me of that.”

 

“You worry about her too,” Henry says, looking up at her.

 

“You know that I do, Henry,” Regina says.

 

“No, I mean you  _ care _ about her,” he says, exaggerating the word.

 

“Your mother and I are finally at a point where I can say without a doubt that we are friends. She is probably my best friend,” she says softly.

 

“I know she is. But you and Ma have never just been friends. When I first brought her to Storybrooke, you hated each other, and then you learned to get along and now you’re friends. But it’s never just been about that.”

 

“No, for the longest time it was about you; although now, your mother and I can both admit our relationship is more than just both of us being your mother.”

 

Henry sighs loudly. “Mom. Are you purposely being dense?”

 

“Henry,” Regina admonishes. He looks apologetic for a moment.

 

“You and Ma care about each other, and it’s more than just being about me or even about you just being friends. You and Ma  _ love _ each other.”

 

“Henry, that’s…” Regina says, eyes unfocused as she stares over the top of Henry’s head.

 

“True?” Henry supplies. Regina opens her mouth to speak, but no words come out. “You don’t have to say anything, and you don’t have to admit anything. Right now.” The smirk on his face undoubtedly learned from her. “But maybe just work on admitting it yourself.”

 

He extricates himself from his mother’s arms and stands, giving her a sheepish smile. “I’m going to do my homework; call me if you find anything,” he says, glancing at the books on her desk, and then bounds from the room as if he hadn’t shaken her world completely.

 

Regina slumps into the couch with a loud sigh, her arm resting over her eyes.

  
  
  


“I don’t like it; I don’t  _ trust _ him,” Emma says, hands shoved into the pockets of her red leather jacket for warmth.

 

“And you think I do?” Regina asks as they walk down the sidewalk. “I’ve spent days going through book after book, and I still haven’t found  _ anything _ useful. No sword that seems to keep attacking long after it’s gone. No curse to make it do so.

 

“He’s the only other person in this town that might possibly know anything about what’s happening.” She frowns as the pawn shop comes into sight.

 

“I know.” Emma sighs. “But I still don’t like it,” she says, pulling her hands from her pockets.

 

Regina sends her a grim look, and her hand twitches at her side, as if to reach out to Emma’s, just inches away. But she curls her hand into a fist and presses it into her side. She looks back toward the pawn shop, determination coloring her features.

 

A bell chimes as Regina turns the handle and pushes the door open. They step into the empty store. “Gold?” Emma calls.

 

A murmuring of voices reaches their ears. “Yes, dear?” a voice that is decidedly not Gold, replies, pushing aside the curtain and striding forward.

 

“What are you doing here?” Regina asks.

 

The Queen leans lazily against the counter. “Hmm this and that.” She waves a hand through the air, the gesture still just as careless.

 

Gold finally makes an appearance, his cane thumping against the floor with each step. “To what do I owe the pleasure?” he asks in a voice that makes it clear it is no pleasure at all. “As if one of you wasn’t enough.” He glares toward The Queen, who lifts a hand to appraise her nails, smirking.

 

“I have a question...about a certain sword,” Regina begins.

 

“Ah such a popular weapon, I see,” he says, glancing back toward The Queen.

 

“Like I said, it’s good to know what you’re up against,” The Queen says, lowering her hand and looking towards her double.

 

Regina ignores her other half. “So you know why it is we need to know about this sword.”

 

“A sword whose blade appears to keep working even after the wound has closed. Can’t say I’ve ever heard of such a thing before. Now if you’ll excuse me,” he says, turning to reenter the back of the shop.

 

“You’re lying,” Emma says, super power pinging relentlessly. Gold faces them again.

 

“The question is what do you have to offer me for what I know?” he asks, a glint in his eyes. 

 

“What do you want?” Emma asks.

 

“I want the sword itself. I’ll tell you what I know, but first you must promise that once this sword makes another appearance you will do whatever it takes to bring it to me,” he says, both hands on his cane as he leans against it.

 

Regina laughs. “And put a weapon with that much power in your hands.” She turns and starts toward the door, reaching blindly back for Emma, to pull her along. The Queen’s eyes narrow in on the gesture, and she quickly looks up toward Emma, who meets her eyes. The Queen looks back at the offered hand, daring Emma to take it.

 

“Why do you want the sword?” Emma asks. Regina looks back, hand resting on the door handle.

 

“I have a want for  _ unique _ items,” he says, looking around the room with a poor imitation of a smile.

 

“Regina, maybe we should consider it,” Emma says.

 

Regina looks at Emma for a moment. “You’re serious,” she says. “Have you not yet learned that it is best not to make deals with the devil?” Gold preens at the name.

 

“I was well on my way to making my own deal, before you two barged in and threw that down the drain,” The Queen says, looking bored. “Although I must say, I like your offer much better than my own.”

 

Gold pays her no mind. “That is my price. Take it or leave it,” he says. Regina looks pleadingly at Emma, who sighs, and follows Regina toward the door.

 

“Whipped,” The Queen singsongs. “No wonder you didn’t gives us the same offer.” She laughs, and pushes herself off the counter, following the pair out the door.

 

“If you change your mind…” Gold says. The Queen rolls her eyes and exits the shop, catching up to Emma and Regina, her stiletto boots clicking against the pavement.

 

“What do you want?” Emma says, stopping and turning around abruptly, nearly causing The Queen to fall. Instinctually, Emma reaches out to steady the other woman, her hands coming out to rest on The Queen’s hips. Regina clears her throat when her other half regains her balance, but Emma’s hands have yet to move.

 

Emma starts to jump backwards, but The Queen grabs her wrists, holding her hands in place. “If she wants her hands on me she’s more than welcome to have them there,” she tells Regina, with a smirk. The Queen leans in closer to Emma. “My hips or anywhere else that you like.” Her breath brushes Emma’s ear, the words a purr.

 

“At least don’t do this in public,” Regina says, annoyed. She wraps them all in a cloud of purple, and they reappear in her living room.

 

“What? Afraid to be seen getting  _ too _ close to The Savior?” The Queen asks over Emma’s shoulder.

 

“No, I’m afraid for Emma to be seen with you,” Regina says with a glare. “At least get a room, the both of you.”

 

“Jealous are we?” The Queen says.

 

“What?” Emma cries at the same time. 

 

“I don’t trust you. I know exactly what you’re capable of and I don’t want you anywhere near Emma or the rest of my family,” Regina says, taking a step forward.

 

“Well, Em- _ ma _ sure seems to want me around,” she says, closing the space between her and Emma, pressing their bodies lightly together. Emma sinks into the contact, before her eyes widen and she stumbles backward. The Queen slides her hands from their grip on Emma’s wrists down to entwine their fingers, now the one to keep Emma from losing her balance -- and to keep her from getting too far away.

 

Emma pulls her hands from The Queen’s grasp and walks backwards to Regina’s side. The Queen sits down on the couch and crosses her legs, looking as if she were sitting upon a throne. 

 

“The real question then, is if you don’t want me anywhere near Emma, why is it that you brought me with you?” The Queen’s eyes are dancing, a smile on her lips. “Is it perhaps that you can’t deny our dear Savior anything -- or  _ anyone _ \-- that she wants?”

 

“I don’t want-”

 

“We’ve been through this, Princess. Your words say one thing, but your body says another. Maybe you could deny it the first time, but when it  _ keeps on happening _ ,” she practically sings the words.

 

Regina’s eyes narrow; Emma’s cheeks darkening. Regina looks from The Queen to Emma. “What happened?” Regina asks softly.

 

“Nothing happened,” Emma says, her voice too high. She takes a breath and tries again. “Nothing happened; I didn’t let anything happen.”

 

“As much as she wanted to,” The Queen says, but the words are ignored. 

 

“If you want- I won’t stop you. I will never trust her, but if that’s -- if  _ she’s _ \-- what you want…” Regina says, voice small, vulnerable.

 

“Hey,” Emma says, and brings the palm of her hand to Regina’s cheek. “I don’t trust her either.”

 

“Not trusting and not wanting are two different things, Emma,” Regina says. Emma brushes her thumb across Regina’s cheekbone. 

 

The Queen giggles. “It looks as if we have ourselves a little love triangle. Or is it really a love triangle if there are two of us?” The Queen questions.

 

“This isn’t a love triangle,” Emma says, not removing her hand.

 

“It’s certainly something, seeing as you can’t seem to keep your hands off either one of us,” The Queen says.

 

“I could never be with you. Like Regina’s said, we don’t trust you,” Emma says.

 

The Queen looks genuinely hurt for a moment before regaining her composure. “‘Always the villain, even when I’m not.’”

 

“Right,” Regina snorts. Emma drops her hand, and Regina misses the warmth immediately.

 

“You are always so quick to dismiss the fact that  _ I _ helped save your princess. If I decide not to help next time, then where will you be? We both know where Emma will be.” She looks pointedly toward the ground, before looking back to the two women in front of her. “You need me. You both need me.”

 

“Once we figure out what this sword is we can figure out how to counteract whatever it is that it’s doing to Emma,” Regina says.

 

“Well, I see I’m  _ not _ needed then,” The Queen says, and stands, walking towards the doorway. She looks over her shoulder. “You best hope, that your dear princess, doesn’t die in the meantime.” They hear the front door close a moment later.

 

“She’s right; we need to find a solution quickly,” Regina says. “Maybe we should reconsider Gold’s offer.”

 

Emma looks at her incredulously. “I know I said that earlier, but you know I tend not to make the smartest decisions in the heat of the moment. We’ll keep researching; we’ll find another way.”

 

“And if we don’t find the answer soon enough?” Regina asks.

 

“We will. Do you really want me to give one of my mother’s hope speeches?” Emma asks with a raised brow. Regina makes a face. “I thought so.”

 

Regina laughs. “You’re right. We’ll figure something out.”

 

“We always do,” Emma says, with a wide smile.

  
  
  


Henry yelps when he catches movement over the top of his comic. He sits up against his headboard, staring at The Queen sitting in his desk chair. “What do you want?”

 

“Is that anyway to greet your mother?” she asks.

 

“You’re not my mother,” he says, sitting his comic book in his lap.

 

“I thought of everyone, you were on my side, Henry,” she says.

 

“I want to be on your side. You saved Ma, and that’s good, but you have to keep doing good. You have to prove that you’re a hero. You know how long it took for everyone to believe that my mom was good. She had to work for it; she did work for it, and you have to do the same.”

 

“It’s not that easy,” The Queen says.

 

Henry shakes his head. “It never is. But that’s part of what makes you a hero; you keeping fighting even when it’s not easy.”

 

“You don’t know how hard I’ve fought.”

 

“Maybe not, but I do know that what you’ve fought for wasn’t what you  _ should _ have been fighting for. You can be good, if you want to. Everyone else may not be able to see it yet, but I can,” he says, giving her an encouraging smile.

 

The Queen walks over to Henry’s bed and sits on the edge of it. “I don’t know if I can do what you want, Henry. I want to do that for you, but I don’t know if-”

 

“Then don’t do it for me,” Henry says, and moves to the edge of the bed to sit next to The Queen. “Do it for you.”

 

Tears well up in The Queen’s eyes, but don’t spill over. She looks down at the comic that now sits on his bed. “Wolverine,” she says with a faint smile. “He was always my favorite.”

 

“I know,” Henry says and returns her smile. “Just think about what I’ve said, okay?”

 

The Queen starts to argue, but shakes her head. “I’ll think about it, but I don’t make a single promise. It’s all sounds rather boring to me.” Henry rolls his eyes. “I should go before Regina catches me. I’ve already spent too much time around her precious savior. As much as I would like to press my luck, I am not quite in the mood for it. Goodbye, Henry.” She stands and runs her hand through his hair before disappearing. 


	5. Chapter 5

The Imperial March blares from Regina’s phone, vibrating against her desk. She sighs and picks up the phone. “What do you want, Gold?”

 

“I think we have a problem, dearie,” he says.

 

“We or you? I don’t have time for your games right now.” She rests her elbow on her desk, her head in the palm of her hand.

 

“It appears someone broke into my shop last night, and if the item that was stolen were to end up in the wrong hands things could be very bad for everyone in this town,” Gold says.

 

“Alright. What was taken?” she asks, straightening in her seat.

 

“That is not something I wish to discuss over the phone. I suggest you come down here, and the sooner the better, Madam Mayor.” He manages to make his voice both serious and taunting at the sametime.

 

Regina pushes back from her chair. “I’ll call the Sheriff’s Station and be there as soon as I can.” She hangs up the phone, and grabs her coat from the rack by the door.

 

“Hold my calls will you?” Regina asks her secretary, pulling the door closed behind her. “I’m going out.”

 

The petite blonde nods her head in quick succession. “Yes, Madam Mayor,” she says, her voice a high pitched squeak.

 

Regina presses her phone back to her ear as she waits for the elevator. “Emma? Apparently we’ve got a problem,” she says as she steps inside and the doors close. “There was a break in at Gold’s shop. He wouldn’t tell me what was stolen over the phone, just that it would be very dangerous if it were to get into the wrong hands.”

 

“Cryptic as always, I see,” Emma says. Regina hears the sound of a file drawer closing loudly.

 

“I’m heading there now,” Regina says, stepping out of the elevator. “Are you-”

 

“Already on my way,” Emma says, and Regina hears the jingle of Emma’s keys.

 

“I’ll see you there, Sheriff.”

 

“Yes, Ma’am,” Emma says with a soft laugh.

 

Regina hangs up the phone and makes the short drive to the pawn shop in silence. The cruiser is already there, parked against the curb, when she arrives.

 

Regina walks inside to see Emma leaning against the counter, Gold standing on its other side. Emma looks behind her at the chiming of the bell as the door opens and closes.

 

“Hey,” she says, smiling at Regina.

 

Regina returns her smile before looking to Gold. “What is so important that you couldn’t possibly have told me over the phone?” Regina asks, walking over to stand beside Emma.

 

Gold purses his lips. “As I was saying, Sheriff,” he says, turning his attention back to Emma. “I would rule out the majority of the town for this break in. Whoever it was has to have been very proficient in magic.” He gives them both a meaningful stare.

 

Regina rolls her eyes. “Cut the crap, Gold,” Emma says. “You wouldn’t have called us here if you thought we were behind it.”

 

“You can never be too sure,” he says, and doesn’t appear anymore reassured by their responses.

 

“Don’t you have cameras installed?” Emma asks, looking at the upper part of the walls, near the ceiling.

 

“Of course I do,” Gold snaps. “The feed shows no one entering or exiting from the moment I closed the shop last night until I opened it this morning. Had I seen who was behind this, don’t you think I would have handled it on my own?”

 

“Fair point,” Emma says. “I’d like to take a look at those tapes later, though.”

 

“If you must,” Gold says with a nod.

 

“What was taken?” Regina asks, already frustrated with the conversation.

 

“Squid ink,” Gold says.

 

Regina’s expression remains neutral for a beat, and then she lets out a loud bark of a laugh. “Oh, it is dangerous in the wrong hands. But dangerous only for you.” She adjusts her coat, focusing on the movement to get herself back under control.

 

“Was there anything else taken?” Emma asks, ignoring Regina’s outburst.

 

“No, nothing else was out of order,” he says. “If you can be of no further help...Sheriff. Madam Mayor.” He nods his head, and looks toward the door. An obvious signal that their work there is done.

 

“That was an absolute waste of time,” Emma says once they're outside. She leans against the cruiser and looks at Regina.

 

“Yes, the only thing we do know is that someone has it out for Gold, but that is really much better news than I thought we were going to get out of this break in,” Regina says, and Emma laughs. “But that does beg the question of who did break in and steal the squid ink.”

 

“If what Gold said is true and it has to be someone powerful enough to break the enchantments guarding it, then that leaves who? Me, you, The Evil Queen, and who knows what the figure under the hood is capable of,” Emma says, and runs a hand through her hair.

 

Regina starts to speak when she’s cut off by the sound of Emma’s cell phone ringing. “Sheriff Swan,” Emma answers. Regina can hear the voice on the other end talking loudly, but too quickly for Regina to pick out any of the words.

 

“How long ago was this?” Emma asks, and is silent as she listens to the answer. “And no one thought to inform the sheriff’s station sooner?” She pushes off of the cruiser and starts around toward the driver’s side. “Yeah, I’m on my way now.”

 

Emma opens the door, and looks at Regina over the roof of the car. “Come on, get in.”

 

Regina shakes her head. “I really should be getting back-”

 

“Someone saw some...suspect…behavior down at the graveyard, near-”

 

“My vault,” Regina finishes with a sigh and Emma nods. “Of course they did.” She wrenches open the passenger side door and slips gracefully inside. 

 

Emma makes the drive quickly to the cemetery, and they both get out of the car and make their way up the path toward the vault. “I don’t see anything strange,” Emma says, narrowing her eyes as she looks from one side to the other.

 

“How much time passed between when the call came through and when whatever happened here was spotted?” Regina asks.

 

“That wasn’t really clear, and it wasn’t clear what exactly happened here either. But maybe a half hour. Maybe less, maybe more?” Emma says.

 

“Wait,” Regina whispers, stopping suddenly and throwing a hand out to stop Emma from going any further. The hand lands just between Emma’s breasts. She looks down at the hand, sucking in a deep breath, and willing her heart to slow down and not let Regina feel it racing against her palm.

 

But Regina’s attention is elsewhere as she squints into the distance. “Over there.” She removes her hand from Emma’s chest to point at a figure standing in a clearing, standing unnaturally still.

 

“I think that’s the groundskeeper. He’s not moving.” Emma follows Regina as she starts across the field, navigating around gravestones. “Like at all.”

 

“No, I don’t think he is,” Regina agrees.

 

As they near, they can see from the man’s profile, the steady rise and fall of his chest. “Hello?” Emma calls.

 

There is no response from the man, even as they near within feet of him. Regina steps in front of him, and while he still doesn’t move, she can see the fear in his eyes. “Just what I thought. Squid ink.”

 

Emma’s brow furrow. “I thought that only worked on the Dark One.”

 

“It did, but apparently whomever stole it has been making some modifications. It’s likely going to take much longer to wear off than it would for the Dark One. But as long as nothing else has been modified he should be completely fine,” Regina says and starts marching back in the direction that they came.

 

“Where are you going?” Emma asks, quickening her steps to catch up.

 

“My vault. I’m sure whoever broke into Gold’s shop came here next. I would be the most likely person in town to have the ingredients to alter the squid ink. Why else would they come here? If they were planning on carrying out an attack, there are many other places in Storybrooke that are much more populated.”

 

“Well, I mean, that’s a matter of opinion,” Emma says, glancing down at the gravestones as they pass.

 

Regina rolls her eyes, but doesn’t comment. She reaches the vault and unlocks it; she slips downstairs to see candles lit, bathing the room in light, and vials with different color liquid scattered across the tabletop.

 

“I think we know where the squid ink was messed with,” Emma says.

 

“Yes, and I think we know who’s behind it,” Regina says, looking at the particular cabinets that were left open; the intruder knew exactly where the necessary ingredients were. 

 

“The Queen?’ Emma asks, and Regina nods.

 

“I was hoping I was wrong. I wanted to believe that maybe when I split us in two, there was still  _ some _ good left in her.” Regina waves a hand and clears the table of the mess that The Queen left behind.

 

“But if you’re right, and he’ll be just fine, then that’s not the worst thing she could do,” Emma says, and Regina glares at her. “Oh stop feeling responsible for what she does. They're her actions and not yours, and as long as she’s not killing or torturing anyone then it could be worse.” 

 

“We just need to know who she’s after and what she plans to do with it,” Regina says, starting up the stairs. She locks the vault with a wave of her hand after they exit.

 

“Let’s head back into town and see if there’s anything strange going on. If there are anymore  _ stone people _ hanging around town, someone’s sure to have seen them,” Emma says, unlocking the cruiser.

 

When they near Main Street, they notice multiple people running up from the direction of the docks. Regina’s mouth hardens in a firm line, and Emma drives in the direction opposite the fleeing townsfolk.

 

Leroy waves them down after they’ve driven a couple more blocks. Emma pulls off to the side and rolls down her window. “Hey, sister,” he says, panting. “The Queen’s down on the docks, and she’s freezing people in place. Turning them right to stone -- except for the whole stone part. They’re breathing, but they’re-”

“Not moving,” Regina finishes, lips pressed together in a grim line.

 

“Shit. Thanks, Leroy,” Emma says, as he turns and resumes running away from the docks, and therefore The Queen. She looks at Regina before pulling back into the street. “It looks like we’re getting our answers.”

 

A few moments later they pass a body standing unnaturally still -- just like man in the graveyard -- and two more on the next block.

 

“You said this wasn’t a problem since she isn’t killing anyone?” Regina asks with a raised brow.

 

“Okay, yeah, this definitely counts as multiple strikes against her,” Emma concedes with a sigh.

 

“Indeed.” Regina says. 

 

Emma parks against the curb, and they pass another half dozen static bodies as they walk quickly out onto the docks. A hundred feet ahead they see The Queen, a black tendril of magic gliding away from her to wrap around the man in front of her, leaving him unmoving.

 

They take off in a sprint. “Hey,” Emma yells. The Queen turns around, an evil smile stretched across her face. “What are you doing?”

 

“Having some fun. I was getting rather bored. Thought I’d spice things up a bit,” The Queen says, waving her hand through the air, purple sparks shooting from the tips of her fingers.

 

“This is what you call fun?” Emma asks, as she edges closer, Regina beside her, following step by step.

 

“Well, this was just a warm up. But you are just in time for the grand finale,” The Queen says, nearly jumping in her glee.

 

“You’re not doing this to anyone else,” Regina says, hands tightening to fists at her side.

 

The Queen laughs. “You really think you’re going to stop me? I could freeze you both in an instant if I were so inclined, so I’d just sit back, watch, and enjoy,” she says with a wink.

 

“Swan,” Hook calls as he steps off of the Jolly Rodger and onto the docks.

 

“Just the man I was looking for,” The Queen says, sauntering forward.

 

Regina reaches for Emma, anticipating Emma’s reaction before she moves. But Emma darts away from her grasp, and runs forward. “Emma, no,” Regina shouts. But Emma grabs The Queen’s arm, yanking her back a step.

 

The Queen growls, eyes filled with fire. “That, Princess, was the wrong move,” she says and removes the stopper from the vile, black smoke once again filling the air; it spirals around Emma. Regina, having reached Emma, wraps both arms around her shoulders. She stumbles back into Regina’s chest.

 

“You say you won’t hurt Emma, but you prove me right time and time again, Your Majesty,” Hook says, pacing quickly toward The Queen. “I’m not afraid of you and a little bit of magic isn’t going to stop me from protecting  _ my _ girlfriend.”

 

The Queen’s face twists in anger at his words.

 

The smoke whirls away from where Emma stands, beelining straight for Hook. “Don’t do this,” Emma begs. Regina holds tight to her shoulders, keeping her in place. But the black smoke wraps tightly around him, and when it dissipates he is left just as unmoving as every other person left in The Queen’s wake. 

 

“You have no control over me, Savior,” The Queen says, turning to face them, “and you would do best to remember that.” She flashes another smile that is such a stark contrast to Regina’s warm, loving grin, that suddenly the two look nothing alike. With a wave of her hand and a burst of violet, she is gone.

 

Regina releases her hold on Emma, who darts forward, grabbing at Hook who stays firmly in place. Tears run down her cheeks. “How long?” she asks when Regina reaches her side.

 

“There’s no way to know,” Regina says, and tentatively reaches a hand out, resting it on Emma’s shoulder and rubbing soothing circles with her thumb. “We’ll have to wait and see how long until the first victims wake; everyone else should follow soon after.”

 

“So we wait,” Emma says. She starts to lower herself to the ground, and Regina catches her elbows, keeping her upright.

 

“What do you think you’re doing?” Regina asks.

 

“Waiting,” Emma says stubbornly, still fighting against Regina’s hold.

 

“Sitting around here isn’t going to do anyone any good. Let’s get back to the station; David is likely to be there. Once everyone wakes up they’re going to be bursting into the station, demanding retribution. It’s best if we get a head start on the situation.”

 

Emma looks back at Hook, guilt taking over her features. “I suppose. But I feel bad leaving him.”

 

“I know, but he’ll understand what you have to do,” Regina says. She loosens her grip on Emma’s elbow to slide her hand down Emma’s arm, and taking a hold of her hand. Emma gives one last look to Hook before letting Regina pull her away.

  
  
  


“Moms,” Henry says, rushing forward when they enter the station. “You’re okay.”

 

“We’re just fine,” Regina says, wrapping her arms around him.

 

“What’s happening?” he asks, looking up at her.

 

“I came straight from school and brought Henry with me as soon as I heard there was another monster on the loose,” Snow says, moving to stand behind Henry.

 

Regina lifts a hand from Henry and rubs her temple, eyes close. Emma grimaces, and says, “It’s The Queen. She stole squid ink from Gold’s shop and broke into Regina’s vault, and somehow managed to make it work on anyone. She’s been paralysing people all over town.”

 

“But...but I thought she was changing,” Henry says. He leans against the side of David’s desk.

 

“I told you it was best not to get your hopes up. Just because she helped save Emma, didn’t mean she was changing,” Regina says gently.

 

“Maybe she’s just relapsing,” Henry says. “You didn’t stop being evil on your first try. You tried again and again, and now you’re a hero.” There is hope in his voice, still wishing for the best.

 

“You didn’t see what she did,” Emma says. “There were dozens of people. She didn’t care who got caught up in her spell. It was all just a means to an end. As soon as she got to Killian, she disappeared.”

 

“She froze Hook? David says, asking the question before anyone else. 

 

Emma nods, her face grim. “Said he was her grand finale.”

 

“I just wanted to believe she could do better,” Henry says, crestfallen.

 

“Me too, Kid,” Emma says and steps in front of him, pulling him into a brief but firm hug.

 

“So we have The Queen  _ and _ the figure under the hood to worry about,” David says as he slumps down in his chair.

 

“But what if,” Snow falls as pale as her name, “something happens to you again,” she says to Emma. “What if she isn’t there to help?” This asked to Regina.

 

“I don’t know. I wish I had the answer, but all the research I’ve done is just dead end after dead end,” Regina says.

 

“We’ll find something,” David says. “We always do.”

 

“David’s right,” Snow agrees. “Evil never wins in the end.”

 

Emma and Regina look to each other, eyes full of worry and uncertainty. Regina reaches a hand out, resting it on the small of Emma’s back. “Right. Yeah,” Emma agrees, the disbelief in her words heard only by Regina.


	6. Chapter 6

“What the hell are you doing here?” Emma asks The Queen, who has suddenly appeared in the middle of her living room -- and in front of the TV, no less. “And how did you get in here?”

 

“I didn’t like the way we left things the last time I saw you,” The Queen says, taking a seat beside Emma on the far end of the couch.

 

“Well maybe you shouldn’t have gone around freezing half the people in the town before making a spectacle of freezing my boyfriend right in front of me,” Emma says, crossing her arms over her chest.

 

“I thought it would be an improvement, Besides, he’s perfectly fine now,” The Queen says offhandedly, crossing her legs.

 

“You acted like maybe there was the  _ slightest _ possibility that you could change, and then you went and threw that all away.” Masking her hurt with anger is simple, since it’s flowing from her in abundance. 

 

“So what? My other half gets all the chances in the world and I decide to have a little fun and now it’s right back to the dog house?” The Queen pouts.

 

“You know it wasn’t like that. Regina slipped up time and time again, and made everyone lose their trust in her. But she’s not that person anymore. You could do better --  _ be _ better -- but you have to, you know, try,” Emma says.

 

“But that sounds like such a boring life, and you can’t tell me you didn’t get even a little thrill out of watching me immobilize everyone in my path,” The Queen says, leaning her body closer to Emma. “You can’t tell me that there wasn’t a part of you that wasn’t glad to see the pirate out of the picture, even for only a short while.”

 

“Why would I be happy about that? You attacked the man I love-”

 

The Queen cuts her off with a twinkle in her eyes. “Do you? Do you actually love him? Because ever since I came into town, your behavior seems to suggest otherwise -- seems to suggest that  _ he _ isn’t the one that you’re in love with.” The Queen winks.

 

“What do you know about love? When Regina separated herself from you, you lost the ability to remember what love feels like. How could you possibly know anything about love?”

 

“I may not know much, Em- _ ma _ , but when that love is so sickenly obvious it’s quite hard to miss, even to someone like me.” The Queen’s expression stays the same, but the excitement in her eyes is gone. 

 

Emma glares at her. “Whatever you think you see, you don’t. And I’m not in love with Regina. That’s ridiculous. She’s my best friend and Henry’s other mom, so of course I love her. But I’m not  _ in _ love with her.”

 

The Queen’s eyes are dancing once again. “I did not mention whom I thought you were in love with. Yet, your mind went instantly to my lesser half, without me having to say our name.” The Queen scoots even closer to Emma, resting on the middle cushion. “Tell me, why is it that of all the people in this town, your mind went right to us?”

 

Emma’s eyes widen at her mistake. “No, you definitely said Regina,” Emma says, the words coming out in a rush.

 

The Queen titters. “Getting defensive are we?” she purrs. Emma starts to stand and The Queen places a hand on her knee to keep her in place. “Fine, if you don’t want to admit it to me, then don’t. But please stop looking after Regina like a puppy dog waiting for a good petting, or I’m going to have to take matters into my own hands.” She lifts her hand not currently on Emma’s knee, brushing Emma’s hair off of her shoulder and brushing her knuckles gently down the side of Emma’s neck.

 

Emma sucks in a breath, but makes no move to stop her. The Queen trails her fingers down over Emma’s collarbone, and her breath is warm on Emma’s ear when she leans in even closer and whispers, “She wants this too, you know?”

 

“Wh-what? Who?” Emma stutters, breath still quietly coming too fast.

 

The Queen rolls her eyes. “Regina.”

 

“No-no she doesn’t. I would know if-”

 

“You are so clueless. So pretty,” she brushes her thumb over Emma’s bottom lip, “but so clueless. Regina is too  _ chivalrous _ to go after you while you’re in that sham of a relationship. I, on the other hand, have no such qualms.”

 

“Of course you woul-” Emma’s words trail off into groan when the queen nips at her earlobe. The Queen smiles, and does it again, receiving the same response.

 

The Queen runs her fingers slowly down from Emma’s lip to the the collar of her tank top, finger catching on the cotton neckline, pulling it taut before letting go. “Maybe you just need a little encouragement -- an incentive to finally let the pirate go,” The Queen whispers, leaning in closer still, breath ghosting over Emma’s lips.

 

Emma’s eyes fall closed without any intention of letting them do so, and her lips part ever so slightly. The Queen’s nose bumps gently against hers. “But maybe I’m making this too easy for you.” The Queen pulls away abruptly. “Do us both a favor, and think real carefully over  _ everything _ that has happened here today, will you?”

 

Emma’s eyes snap open and she flings herself back against the armrest. The Queen rolls her eyes and stands. “Believe me, Savior, if I was going to take this further I would have already done so. Go ahead and crawl back into your hole of denial,” The Queen says. “Just try not to go too far.” She winks, and runs her hands over the skirt of her dress, smoothing out the nonexistent wrinkles -- just as Emma has seen Regina do time and time again.

 

Emma takes a shaky breath and blinks, and seems to come back to herself. “This doesn’t change anything,” Emma says, gesturing at the space between herself and The Queen. “This doesn’t change what you did to Killian and the rest of the town.”

 

“Ah so you admit there is something between us,” The Queen says with a delighted smile.

 

“Not us, no. But…” Emma bites her lip and looks away.

 

“Ah, Regina,” The Queen says, the light in her eyes falls away the smallest of amounts, but her smile stays in place. “Baby steps.” The words are quiet, and spoken more to herself than to Emma.

 

The Queen steps forward and places her hand lightly against Emma’s cheek. “Well, this has been fun, Princess. But I have places to go, people to see, yada yada yada.” Her hand falls from Emma’s cheek as she disappears where she stands, leaving only wisps of violet smoke in her wake.

 

Emma stares into the space where The Queen had stood. She lifts her fingers to her cheek, brushing over the skin where The Queen’s hand had been. “Fuck,” she mutters, and leans back into the couch, hand falling to her lap.

  
  
  


Henry has just left school after the final bell had rung, when he feels it -- this niggling at the back of his mind, that something is wrong, that something is off. His eyes narrow as he looks all around him, checking from side to side to see anything out of the ordinary.

 

But on the opposite side of the road, two of his classmates walk down the sidewalk ahead of him, just as they do everyday after school. The laughter and cacophony of voices fades the further he walks, and while nothing appears out of the ordinary, his eyebrow is still scrunched in confusion.

 

He turns his head, looking behind him, and sees a flash of black fabric gliding around the corner. His heart freezes and speeds up all at the sametime. But only a moment later old Miss Hubard walks out of the laundromat, her long black dress reaching down to her ankles.

 

Henry lets out a breath and shakes his head at himself. “You’re being paranoid for nothing,” he mutters.

 

He rounds the corner into the neighborhood that leads to Mifflin Street. Another flash of black catches his eyes as it hides behind the wide trunk of a tree. “Hey,” Henry shouts and runs forward. He recognizes the way the fabric flows through the air. He’s seen it in his nightmares almost every night since the night the figure under the hood almost killed Emma.

 

Without thinking, and with only the adrenaline of seeing his mother’s would be killer again, he takes off into the middle of the street.

 

A car horn blares loudly and close, too close, and he has only a moment to register the car only feet away before it disappears -- no,  _ he _ disappears.

 

“What?” Henry blinks and looks around at his bedroom, feeling the soft blue cotton of his comforter beneath his fingers. 

 

“You should watch where you’re going, Henry. I’ve taught you better than that,” The Queen says sternly, leaning against the doorframe. 

 

“How did-” He’s still confused, not understanding what has happened.

 

The Queen frowns and moves from the doorway and sits beside him on the bed. “I’m sure your  _ mothers _ would not approve, but I like to keep my eye on you from time to time. You are my son, after all, and clearly I had the right idea. What were you thinking, Henry?” She grips his chin in her hand, more gently than he would have thought her capable. “You could have been hurt, you could have been-” She can’t get the word out, and in that moment she looks so very like his mom that he crumples into her side.

 

After only a moment’s shocked hesitation, The Queen wraps her arms around him and pulls him more snugly into her side.

 

“I’m sorry,” he says, the words feeling inadequate.

 

“What were you thinking?” The Queen asks again, the words murmured into his hair.

 

Henry gasps and pulls back, jumping to his feet. “The figure under the hood! It was back; it was right there. We have to go,” he says, reaching for her hand to pull her to her feet.

 

“What?” The Queen asks. “Are you certain?”

 

“Yes,” Henry says loudly. “I had the weirdest feeling that someone was following me, and I kept seeing what looked like its black cape, always just disappearing behind a building or a tree. But I’m sure. I would recognize it anywhere.” 

 

The Queen looks at him and frowns. “But you didn’t actually see the figure?” Henry starts to interject. “Its entire frame. Not just a piece of fabric?”

 

“Well, no. But I’m sure. You have to believe me. If it’s going to go after Ma again...” His words are frantic and his eyes plead with her.

 

The Queen sighs and stands. “Let me handle this, Henry. If it is the figure under the hood, I don’t want you anywhere near it. No buts,” she says, anticipating his rebuttal. “I’m not going to let it come after your mother again.”

 

He stares at her for a moment. “Why do you do it?”

 

The Queen’s brows draw together. “Why do I do what?”

 

“Attack Killian, attack half the people in this town, and all the other awful things that you do? I know you care about me and I know you care about Ma, so why hurt us like that?”

 

“Oh, Henry. I’ve never tried to hurt you. I could never,” she says, taking his face in her hands.

 

“Not physically. But all the awful things you do? It hurts us. It hurts everyone,” he says. 

 

“You don’t understand,” she says with a shake of her head and lets her hands drop.

 

“Then help me understand,” he pleads with her.

 

She shakes her head and takes a step back. “I’ll take care of the figure, Henry, just let it be.”

 

He opens his mouth to argue, but she’s already gone.

  
  
  


“Henry?” Regina calls, and he can hear her footsteps on the stairs. She steps into the doorway, where The Queen had been just minutes before. “I didn’t hear you come in.”

 

He smiles, but she must see the guilt masked within it. “Henry?” Her eyes drill into him.

 

“Well…”

 

“I’ve promised never to lie to you again, so I would ask you not to keep secrets from me as well,” she says gently.

 

“Okay, well, I didn’t mean to. I wasn’t really thinking,” he says. 

 

Regina steps further into the room. “Start from the beginning,” she says, laying a hand on his shoulder.

 

“So I had this bad feeling when I left school,” he begins.

 

“What kind of bad feeling?” she asks.

 

“Like someone was watching me, and then I saw this flash of black fabric. First it disappeared around the corner, down by the laundromat, and then again…” He looks down, not wanting to see the look on his mom’s face at his carelessness.

 

“And again when?” she asks softly. “It’s okay, Henry. Whatever it is, I won’t be upset with you.”

 

“But you should be,” he says, looking back up at her. “I’m so sorry, Mom.”

 

“Henry, what-”

 

“I just got into our neighborhood, and I saw it again. Across the street, disappearing behind that big tree, the one over on Maple Street.” Regina nods. “And I wasn’t thinking. Well, I was. But only about Ma; I was only thinking about what happened to her and what could happen again, and I took off after it -- into the street.”

 

“Henry, you know how dangerous the figure under the hood is. The last place I want you is anywhere near whomever this monster is,” Regina says, but Henry shakes his head.

 

“No, no, you’re missing the point,” he says.

 

Regina raises an eyebrow. “Which is?”

 

“I ran into the street. Without looking, and there was a car…” Regina’s eyes widen and her hand moves from his shoulder and takes his arm in her hand, looking him over. “I’m fine, Mom. But I wouldn’t have been. She saved my life.”

 

“Who?” Regina asks, her voice suggesting that she knows exactly  _ who _ it was.

 

“The Queen,” Henry says, and Regina nods. “I know what she did to Hook and everyone else was wrong, -- and I think that she knows it, too -- but she did save me.”

 

“Of that I don’t doubt. There isn’t a part of me that wouldn’t do everything I possibly could to keep you safe. Did you tell her what you saw?” Regina asks, guiding Henry to sit on the edge of the bed.

 

“Yes, and she told me the same thing that you did. That I shouldn’t have gone after the figure; that I shouldn’t have put myself in danger like that,” Henry says.

 

“You shouldn’t have. But you are your mother’s son, and I suppose we have nature to thank for that one,” she says with a small laugh. Henry gives her a slight smile.

 

“The Queen also told me not to worry, and that she’d handle the figure under the hood,” Henry says, his face growing serious. “Do you think she’ll go after it?”

 

Regina stares into the distance for a moment before focusing back on Henry. “I’m not sure what she plans to do. Probably nothing good. But your safety and your mother’s safety is most important, and whatever The Queen may or may not be planning to do, I think our goals are aligned in that.”

 

“Yeah, I don’t think she wants Ma getting hurt, and she was really upset when she saved me,” he says, looking guilty again.

 

Regina takes a deep breath. “But you’re alright, and that’s what matters,” she says, her smile, while it doesn’t quite reach her eyes, is genuine nonetheless. “Why don’t you help me fix dinner.” She reaches a hand out to him.

 

“Can we just order pizza?” Henry tries. Regina makes a face. “Fine, it was worth a shot.”

 

Regina laughs. “Maybe on Friday.”

 

“Can we have Ma over?”

 

“As if your mother would ever pass up an opportunity for free pizza,” Regina says, her tone laced with amusement.

 

“So what are we making?” Henry asks, following her into the hallway.

 

“How about fajitas?” she asks.

 

“That’s sounds great,” he says with a smile.

  
  
  


“I’m going out for patrol,” Emma says to David as she puts her coat on.

 

“Sounds good,” David says, looking up from his laptop.

 

The door thuds closed behind her and she pulls her coat tighter around herself as she walks to the cruiser, the street lights leading the way. She’s right in front of the hood of the cruiser when a burst of magic hits her in the chest. She skids across the sidewalk, ten feet back. The wind is knocked from her lungs; her eyes dart down the darkened sidewalk and street looking for the source of magic.

 

She pushes to her feet, wincing at the pressure placed on her raw palms. Just as she’s gained her balance, the magic strikes her again. She stumbles backwards, leaning into the nearest lamppost to steady her.

 

This time when Emma looks up, she sees the billowing black cloak of the figure pacing toward her, sword in hand. She lifts her hand, ready to return the figure’s gift, when a burst of purple magic blows by her and into the figure.

 

“Are you going to just stand there?” The Queen asks with a raised brow. Emma rolls her eyes and shoots a blast of magic of her own toward the figure. It easily deflects the attack and continues on its path toward them. 

 

“That’s all you’ve got, Princess?” The Queen snarks.

 

“Like you’re doing much better,” Emma says as The Queen’s burst of magic is deflected just as easily as her own. 

 

“Would you both stop arguing,” a third voice says. Emma looks over her shoulder to see Regina marching toward them, pushing her sleeves up. 

 

“We had things just fine,” The Queen says, and Emma shakes her head.

 

“How did you-” Emma begins.

 

“David. I made him promise to stay inside,” Regina says, and Emma nods.

 

“Together?” Regina asks Emma.

 

“Together,” Emma agrees. She glances toward The Queen. “Together?”

 

The Queen opens her mouth to retaliate, but purses her lips before giving a sharp nod. “If we must.”

 

They turn their attention back to the approaching figure. At once, two threads of purple and one of white hit the figure with such a force that it’s unable to deflect their attack this time. The figure flies backward, but is up again a moment later.

 

The figure sends a shock of magic at them which they easily block with their combined power. The figure pauses, its head seeming to tilt beneath the fabric of its hood. A moment later the figure is gone in a puff of smoke.

 

“That was much too-” Regina says, the words cutting off in a choked gasp.

 

“Regina!” Emma cries as Regina is thrown to the side, landing on the other side of the street.

 

“That’s not your biggest problem, Savior,” The Queen says as she turns around, the figure now just feet behind them.

 

The figure draws it’s sword, and The Queen simultaneously raises a hand toward the figure, the burst of magic such a dark shade of purple that it verges on black. With her other hand, she yanks Emma so roughly toward her that they both stumble to the ground.

 

“Shit,” Emma gasps.

 

“You’re welcome,” The Queen says, voice strained. “Can you please get off my stomach?”

 

“The figure?” Emma asks, twisting in The Queen’s grip.

 

“Gone. Disappeared the moment my magic hit it.”

 

“About time,” Emma says with a sharp laugh. She puts a hand forward for balance as she begins to push herself up.

 

The Queen lets out a quiet gasp, and Emma freezes and looks down -- at her hand resting firmly atop The Queen’s breast, fingers brushing the barely concealed cleavage.

 

“Really? You think now is the time for that?” Regina asks, standing above them.

 

The Queen leans back on her hands. “No time like the present,” she says with a shrug, Emma’s hand moving with the rise of her chest.

 

“Shit,” Emma says again, snatching her hand back, and falling to the pavement beside The Queen, before pushing herself up. The Queen cackles.

 

“Really, dear, don’t be so ashamed. She’s more into it than she’s letting on,” The Queen says, giving Regina a conspiratorial wink. 

 

Emma’s stomach clenches. “Are you okay?” Emma asks Regina, to distract herself.

 

“I’m fine. I- I don’t know how, but somehow I didn’t  _ hit _ the ground,” she says.

 

Emma’s head tilts to the side. “What do you mean you didn’t hit the ground?”

 

“It was more like I was set down gently than actually hit it. It all happened so fast, but it doesn’t make any sense,” Regina says.

 

“Well, whoever wants our dear Savior dead, wants you alive,” The Queen says, pulling herself to her feet.

 

“So they weren’t getting you out of the way to keep you from stopping them, but to keep you from getting hurt,” Emma says. “But who?”

 

“I don’t know,” Regina says quietly. The Queen looks off into the distance, and says nothing on the subject.

 

“I suggest you take the rest of the night off; let David handle things from here,” Regina says, her tone making it clear it is not merely a suggestion.

 

Emma nods. “Sure, let me just talk to David.”

 

“We have leftovers at home if you’re hungry,” Regina says, and Emma grins at the words.

 

“Well,  _ once again _ , you’re welcome for saving your life, Princess,” The Queen says.

 

“And how do you keep turning up just when you’re needed?” Regina asks.

 

The Queen shrugs. “It’s a gift.” Regina rolls her eyes,

 

“I’m gonna just...” Emma says, backing away.

 

After a moment of silence, Emma having gone back inside the station, Regina says, “Thank you.”

 

“What was that?” The Queen asks, a smile dancing on her lips.

 

“I said thank you, and don’t make me say it again,” Regina says.

 

The Queen shrugs. “It’s nothing you wouldn’t have done.”

 

Regina rolls her eyes, but her words turn serious when she says, “Why ever it is that you keep saving her-” 

 

“You know exactly why I do it,” The Queen says. “It’s the same reason that you do. We may be two separate people, Regina, but there are somethings about us that will never change. Emma Swan is one of those things.”

 

“So what’s for dinner?” Emma says cheerfully, unaware of the conversation she’s interrupting. 

 

“You almost died. Again. And all you’re thinking about is food?” Regina asks, amusement mixing with the incredulity.

 

“Well, I’m hungry,” Emma says with a shrug.

 

“Come on, dear, let’s go home,” Regina says.

 

Emma starts to follow her, before stopping and looking behind her at The Queen. “Go on, dear. I’ll be just fine. Go,” The Queen says again, before Emma can argue.

 

The Queen watches them drive away in Emma’s yellow bug, and only after they’ve turned the corner does she disappear in her signature cloud of purple.


	7. Chapter 7

“I was thinking, love, that we could go out tonight. It’s been so long, what with everything that’s happened recently,” Hook says, wrapping his hands around Emma’s waist from behind. Emma picks up a pan from the kitchen sink and grabs the soapy sponge from the edge of the sink with her other hand.

 

“I’ve been busy, you know that,” Emma says, tensing as her words come out harsher than she intends. She meets his eyes in their reflection in the window above the sink, and sighs. “I’m sorry. I’ve just been stressed lately.”

 

“I know you have, love.” He takes the pan and sponge from her hands and sets them both in the sink, and turns her around to face him. She rest her wrists on his shoulders, damp hands kept away from his clothing.

 

Hook leans in, his lips just an inch from her own.  _ Do you? Do you actually love him? _ She hears The Queen’s voice in her mind as clearly as she had that day. Emma flinches away from the kiss. The words startling her just as they had before.

 

“Swan?” There is a hurt behind his eyes, that has Emma instantly feeling guilty.

 

“I’m sorry,” she says, and leans back in, their lips just brushing.  _ Your behavior seems to suggest that  _ he _ isn’t the one that you’re in love with _ . And that has her jerking back, her hips colliding with the counter.

 

“Swan,” he says again, voice raised. “What is going on with you? I know you’ve gone through a lot, but talk to me. Isn’t that what we promised?” He makes no move to close the distance between them, to touch her.

 

“I’m sorry,” she says again, wrapping her arms around herself.

 

“You’ve been saying that a lot lately,” he says.

 

“I-I it’s just… The Queen,” Emma begins, looking at the wall behind Hook’s head.

 

“The Queen.” She looks back up to see the derision on his face. “What has Her Majesty done now?”

 

Something about the hatred saturating his words, shoots a spark through her veins. “Why is it that you instantly assume she has done something wrong again? Sure, she’s made plenty of mistakes, but don’t forget everything else that she has done.

 

“I wouldn’t  _ be _ here if she didn’t do what she did. Not once. Not twice. But three times. She’s fucked up; believe me, I know. But you write her off like that means nothing.” She doesn’t understand where it comes from, this burning anger, this  _ need _ to protect.

 

“I know what she’s done, Swan, and I’m grateful to her for it. But don’t forget that only last week she attacked half the people in this town, and  _ me _ . Your boyfriend. The man you love. Or have you already forgotten? I don’t think I’m the one writing things off, Swan.” He takes a half step backwards, his eyes a mix of anger and sadness. 

 

“Don’t make this a contest between you and her. I love you and-” Her hands grip the counter behind her, forcing herself in place.

 

“Do you? Do you love me? I shouldn’t think I would have to try and convince you to be on my side if you did,” he says. The words are quiet, somber.

 

Emma gasps. She feels the shock the words, an echo of The Queen’s, jolt painfully from her head to her toes. And in this moment, as he spits venom at The Queen, as she looks at him, the man she thought she could see could see a future with, all those visions begin to shift, to change, to blur, and suddenly she doesn’t know where his place is.

 

“I don’t know who I love anymore.” And that’s not what she meant to say at all, but the words ring true nonetheless.

 

Hook takes another step backwards. “Maybe we should take some time apart. Until you can answer that question without a doubt.” He turns and leaves the room, and she chokes on a sob as she hears the thump of his footsteps through the hall.

 

“Of course you would be here,” she hears Hook say, and there’s a danger in his voice. Emma pushes off the counter and into the hall to see The Queen striding through the doorway.

 

“This really isn’t a good time, Regina,” Emma says, pressing a hand to her temple. She hears The Queen’s soft gasp, and Hook turns toward Emma.

 

“Oh, so she’s  _ Regina _ now?” Hook seethes.

 

“Of course she’s Regina. That’s her name.” Emma’s voice raises to match Hook’s. The Queen steps forward and gently rests a hand on her arm, and Emma makes no move to shrug her off. Hook’s eyes narrow at the movement.

 

“I think you have your answer after all, Swan. Just forget about my proposition, there’s no reason to put off the inevitable.” He turns on his heel, slamming the door behind him.

 

“Well, that was quite the performance,” The Queen says after a moment of silence. Emma rounds on her instantly.

 

“Don’t. Don’t you dare say anything about that,” Emma says. She wipes angrily at her cheeks, at the stray tears falling unbidden.  

 

The Queen opens her mouth to retort, but closes it again with a click of her teeth. She grabs Emma’s wrists, tightening her grip when Emma tries to yank them from her grasp. She pushes Emma’s hands down to her side before releasing them, and lifting her own hands to wipe away the tears streaming down Emma’s cheeks.

 

The gesture only makes the tears fall faster. “What happened?” The Queen asks softly, sounding so much like her other half, that for a moment Emma isn’t certain which half of Regina stands before her.

 

Emma shakes her head roughly. “I don’t want to talk about it.” Emma pulls The Queen’s hands away from her face, keeping their fingertips brushing together between them. “Not now,” she continues. “I need time to process.”

 

“Okay,” The Queen says with a nod. They stand there for a minute before Emma starts back toward the kitchen. “I-” The Queen watches her walk down the hallway. “I suppose I should go.” Her voice is quiet and hesitant and so far from the queen that Emma has come to know.

 

Emma looks back over her shoulder. “No. You can stay. How else can I make sure you’re not off killing the innocent townsfolk?” The Queen brightens instantly at Emma’s joke.

 

“Well, I could think of plenty of other things to keep me distracted,” The Queen says.

 

Emma rolls her eyes. “I’ll wash; you dry,” Emma says, throwing a dishtowel at The Queen. She lets out a huff, snagging the towel out of the air before it can smack her in the face.

 

“That wasn’t quite what I had in mind,” The Queen says, standing next to her by the sink.

 

Emma lets out a watery laugh. “I’m sure it wasn’t, but we’ve got to start somewhere, Your Majesty.”

 

“As you wish, Princess-” Emma gasps loudly, the sponge dropping into the sink. “What?” Emma presses her hands into her stomach.

 

“It’s happening again,” she says, the words strained, and that’s when The Queen notices the blood staining the fabric beneath Emma’s hands. The Queen stares wide eyed, frozen. “Call Regina.” The words bring The Queen back to the present, and she grabs the phone on the counter that Emma is nodding to.

 

She quickly searches the contacts and dials her other half’s number. It rings and rings and rings.  _ You’ve reached Regina- _ “Dammit,” The Queen says, slamming the phone back on the counter and putting an arm around Emma’s waist to lower her to the floor. Once Emma is lying down, she grabs the phone again, dialing Regina’s number and putting the phone in Emma’s hands. “I’ll try to slow it as much as I can.” Neither one of them mention the tremor in The Queen’s voice.

 

“Okay,” Emma says, and presses the phone to her ear.

 

The Queen pulls Emma’s top up over the laceration, and smooths her hands over Emma’s stomach, a pulse of purple light flowing between the two. Emma gasps as the magic begins.

 

“Voicemail,” Emma grits out. “Regina, please pick up. I need you.” The words break off into a scream that Emma muffles with the palm of her hand.

 

“I’m trying,” The Queen says.

 

Emma meets her eyes. “I know,” she says, the words little more than a ragged whisper.

 

“I can’t do this alone,” The Queen says a minute later, but when she looks to Emma’s eyes she finds them closed.

 

“God dammit,” she screams. She gathers Emma into her arms and disappears in a cloud of purple.

 

“Regina,” The Queen screams as they reappear in Regina’s foyer. “Regina.” Silence. The Queen fights back a sob, and disappears again.

 

They reappear in the vault. “Regina,” The Queen cries, predicting the silence that meet her ears. She looks down at the woman lying broken in her arms, and she tries to fight back the thoughts, to fight back the memory, of another love lying lifeless in her arms, his heart crushed to dust.

 

But Emma isn’t Daniel.

 

This time when she disappears, they find themselves in the hospital. The Queen barely registers the nurses that flock around them, that lift Emma from her arms and place her on a gurney to wheel her into the OR.

 

“No,” The Queen snarls and grasps Emma’s hand tightly in her own. “I am not leaving her.”

 

“Your Majesty-” one of the nurses begins, but wilts under the glare of The Queen. She looks at the rest of the nurses surrounding them, daring anyone to tell her what to do.

 

“We have to hurry. Doctor Whale will meet us in the OR,” another nurse says, wheeling Emma  away, allowing The Queen to stay by her side.

 

“You couldn’t heal it?” Doctor Whale asks, pulling gloves up over his hands.

 

“Not by myself,” she snaps. “I need-” Emma’s cell phone appears in her free hand, and she dials Regina’s number again as the doctor begins to try and stop the bleeding.

 

The phone goes to voicemail again. “I don’t know what you are doing that you think is more important that answering your phone, but Emma is-” The rest of her words are lost in a sob.

 

“Your Majesty, I need you to-” Doctor Whale begins.

 

“I am not letting go of her,” The Queen says, voice rising, but she steps further out of the way. She ends the call, dropping the phone beside Emma’s head on the operating table. “Come on, Princess. You can fight this.” Tears fall from her cheeks, landing on Emma’s pale face.

 

With her free hand, The Queen channels her magic into Emma’s abdomen as the doctor works. The only sound she registers is that of the heart rate monitor, and the lengthening silence between each beep.

 

“No, Emma. No.” She doesn’t care who sees her like this; she’ll kill them all if they don’t save Emma.

 

The monitor stutters out one last beat before flatlining. “Don’t you dare stop,” The Queen snarls.

 

“It’s too late. There’s nothing we can do,” Whale says gently.

 

“No,” she screams. “No.” She cuts off the flow of magic and brings her hand up to cup Emma’s cheek, her fingers leaving a trail of blood across pale skin. She tilts Emma face up toward her own. “I’m so sorry.” She presses their lips together. 

 

She gasps against Emma’s lips when she feels it -- the flash of light that shudders through her and fills the room.

 

She pulls back and looks down at Emma, her breath caught in her throat, and she doesn’t dare to hope, doesn’t dare to believe.

 

But Emma’s eyes shoot open and she sucks in a sharp breath. When her eyes focus on the face hovering above her, a smile stretches across her face. “You were wrong,” Emma says. The Queen raises an eyebrow in question. “You did it on your own.”

 

The Queen opens her mouth, ready to snap out a witty reply. But as she looks down at Emma, her eyes fill with tears all over again. She presses a kiss to Emma’s forehead. “Don’t.” A kiss to both eyelids. “You.” A kiss to her nose. “Ever.” A kiss to one cheek. “Do.” A kiss to the other. “That.” A kiss to her chin. “Again.” A kiss to her mouth, their lips barely brushing.

 

“That’s incredible,” she hears Doctor Whale say, and glances over to see Emma’s stomach, smooth, without even the scar she possessed that morning.

 

Emma tangles her fingers in The Queen’s hair, regaining her attention as she surges upward, pressing their lips firmly together. “I’m sorry,” Emma gasps against her lips.

  
  
  


“Where is she? Where is Emma?” Regina pants as she rushes through the hospital doors and to the information desk.

 

“She’s in the operating room right now, Madam Mayor,” a nurse tells her. “You’ll have to wait until she’s out, I’m afraid.”

 

“The doctors can’t do a thing to save her. What floor is she on?” She sounds just as much The Evil Queen as the woman upstairs with Emma.

 

“I can’t-”

 

“What. Floor. Is. She. On?”

 

“Third floor,” the nurse stutters.

 

Regina disappears without another word, reappearing just outside the elevators on the third floor.

 

As she takes a step towards the nurses station, a blast of light shoots down the hallway from the left. Regina staggers into the wall, a hand clutched at her chest. She takes a deep breath as the burst of light flickers away.

 

“Are you okay, Madam Mayor?” A nurse asks, reaching a hand out toward Regina’s arm.

 

“I’m fine,” Regina snaps, pulling away from the nurse’s grasp and straightening her sweater. She takes another deep breath. “I’m sorry, Charlotte, that was rude of me. But I really am fine, dear.”

 

Charlotte nods forgivingly. “That’s quite alright. I wonder who caused it this time,” Charlotte says, looking down the hallway where the light came from.

 

“I know exactly who caused it. If you’ll excuse me,” Regina says, walking down the hall. Halfway down the hallway, it is closed off by a large door. The door opens as a doctor exits into the main hallway. Regina slips through the opening before it can close.

 

“Madam Mayor, you can’t-” he tries to stop her, but the door falls closed and with it so do his efforts to keep her from going where she shouldn’t.

 

She walks slowly, peeking into the small windows on each door to find the room she’s looking for. At last she spies Doctor Whale standing with his mouth agape, staring across the room.

 

Regina pushes open the door and takes in the scene before her: The Doctor and multiple nurses standing around the operating table, staring at the two women with their arms wrapped around each other, foreheads pressed together as their lips brush.

 

The door closes with a dull thud, and Emma flinches, looking at the newcomer. “Regina,” she says excitedly, grin wide.

 

“So I see it was possible to save you without assistance,” Regina says calmly, keeping her emotions in check. Emma’s grin falters.

 

“I think it’s closed for good,” Emma tells her, looking pointedly down at her stomach.

 

“Ah it appears to be,” Regina agrees, arms crossed over her chest, voice still deadly calm. “It looks as though I wasn’t needed here, so I’ll just leave you to it.” She turns back to the door. The Queen’s laugh rings out loudly in the small room. Regina glares over her shoulder, her calm features distorting for the briefest of moments before she reins her emotions back under control.

 

“I think you are missing the point of all this,” The Queen says, voice laced with humor.

 

“No, I understand perfectly well,” Regina says, glancing at the wide eyed hospital staff taking in the conversation before them. The Queen sighs, and with a wave of her hand transports them all into Regina’s sitting room, Emma sitting on one end of the couch, The Queen on the other end, and Regina standing near the fireplace on the opposite wall.

 

“How dare you,” Regina snarls, taking a step forward.

 

The Queen leans back in her seat. “My, my one of us is having a particularly difficult time adjusting to being whole again.”

 

“Whole?” Emma questions.

 

“It seems that wound of yours wasn’t the only thing we fixed,” The Queen says with a smug grin.

 

“Regina? Are you-” Emma stumbles up off the couch to stand in front of Regina, her eyes shining with concern.

 

“I’m fine,” Regina says cooly. Emma rolls her eyes, and Regina sighs, her posture losing some of its rigidity.

 

“I didn’t mean to take away your choice; I know you separated yourself for a reason,” Emma says. Her hand reaches forward to Regina’s arm of its own volition, but Emma forces it back to her side before she makes contact. 

 

“It doesn’t really matter what I want,” Regina says softly, a sad smile on her face.

 

“Of course it matters,” Emma says just as quietly, but so feverently that Regina’s eyes glisten with tears. Emma lifts her hand to Regina’s cheek; Regina leans into the touch, sad smile still in place. “What do you want, Regina?”

 

“I-” Regina takes a deep breath, and shakes her head. She takes Emma’s hand in her own and pulls it away from her cheek. “Henry will be home soon; I should get dinner started.” She brushes past Emma.

 

The Queen still watches quietly, biting her lip, as she leans into the couch.

 

“It wouldn’t have mattered,” Emma says, and Regina freezes in the doorway, her back to Emma. “It wouldn’t have mattered which one of you was there at the hospital with me, it still would have ended the same. You are  _ both _ Regina. I could have just as easily have had True Love’s kiss with  _ you _ because I love every part of you.

 

“The good.” Emma slowly walks toward Regina. “The bad. I love you when you’re bossing me around. I love you even when you’re threatening my life. I love you when you’re complaining about my eating habits. I love you you call me an idiot. I love you when I look at our son and see the incredible person you raised him to be. I love you-” Regina’s shoulders shake and she chokes back a sob, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. 

 

“Regina?” Emma puts a hand on her shoulder and nudges her to turn around. Regina’s eyes are red rimmed, tear tracks marking her cheeks. Her brown eyes shine so, so bright.

 

“You’re an idiot,” she says, voice rough.

 

“I love you,” Emma says, grinning widely.

 

Regina surges forward, feeling Emma’s smile against her lips for a moment before she kisses her back. Emma pulls her closer with the hand still on her shoulder and wraps the other around Regina lower back. Regina moans softly when their bodies are flush against one another, and nips at Emma’s lower lip, tugging gently before releasing it.

 

“I don’t know whether to be incredibly turned on right now, or incredibly jealous,” The Queen says, standing up from the couch.

 

Regina rolls her eyes, and Emma turns, Regina still in her arms, so they can both see The Queen.

 

Regina leans her head against Emma’s shoulder, and asks, “What are we going to do?”

 

Emma pulls back slightly so she can look at Regina. “What are we going to do about what?”

 

“I think my dear other half means, what are we going to do about the three of us. Neither one of us share well, although-” The Queen says, eyes lighting up.

 

“No. Absolutely not. Don’t even finish that sentence,” Regina says, pulling out of Emma’s embrace, her hands falling to her own hips. 

 

The Queen shrugs, a smirk on her lips. “I’m just trying to look at all of our options.”

 

“What if we don’t worry about it now?” Emma says. Regina raises an eyebrow. “No, I mean, we’ll need to figure something out, I agree. But we still need to figure out who was trying to kill me, if only to keep this town and everyone in it safe. Let’s work on solving that problem, and then we’ll think of something.”

 

“The Princess is right,” The Queen agrees, walking towards Emma. “One problem at a time. I’ll go and see if there’s any sign of the figure having any sort of reaction to its curse being broken.” She cups Emma’s cheek and kisses her deeply before pulling away.

 

“You can- you can come back, you know? You don’t have to keep staying in our vault or wherever it is that you’ve been staying. I have guest rooms,” Regina says before The Queen can leave.

 

“Guest rooms?” The Queen says with distaste. Regina’s eyes narrow. “Right, you’re not giving up our room. A guest room would be wonderful.”

 

“Great. We’ll see you back here tonight; you can let us know what you’ve found,” Regina says. The Queen nods and disappears.

 

Regina sighs once she’s gone, and leans into Emma. “We’ll figure something out, I promise,” Emma says, wrapping her arms around Regina’s waist and pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “Now let’s go make dinner for our son.”

 

Regina nods against her chest, and pulls back, taking Emma’s hand in her own, and leading the way into the kitchen. 


	8. Chapter 8

“Mom,” Henry calls out the moment the front door opens. It slams behind him a second later and he runs into the kitchen. “Mom. Mom.” Henry grins as he looks at both his mothers who are standing by the stove.

 

“Hi, Henry,” Regina says. She crosses the kitchen and brushes his hair out of his eyes, pressing a kiss to his forehead. “How was school?”

 

“Someone shared True Love’s kiss today,” he says excitedly, ignoring her question. “Do you know who it was?” His voice turns sly as he watches both his mothers carefully. Emma coughs and begins stirring the sauce cooking on the stove, it suddenly requiring all of her focus. Regina’s hands automatically find her hips, and she bites her bottom lip.

 

Henry chuckles. “I thought so,” he says and sits his backpack on one of the kitchen chairs and sits down on another.

 

“You thought what?” Regina asks, barely disguising a tremor in her voice.

 

“It was you two,” Henry says as he unzips his backpack and pulls out a textbook.

 

The wooden spoon clatters against the side of the pot as it slips out of Emma’s hand. “Shit,” she mutters.

 

“Language,” Regina and Henry tell her at the same time. Emma grumbles under her breath. “Why would you think that?” Regina asks.

 

Henry rolls his eyes. “Mom, I’m not blind. I see the way you look at each other -- the way you’ve always looked at each other. Ma said she loved Hook, but it’s just not- Ma, you became The Dark One to protect Mom. And Mom, you literally went to hell and back for Ma.” Henry lies a notebook on the table and opens it. “You can deny it all you want, but I know the truth,” he looks back up at his mothers, “and True Love’s kiss kind of proves it.” Henry looks back down at his homework, as if his words are the end of the discussion.

 

“Your mother and I didn’t share True Love’s kiss,” Regina tells Henry. Emma, leaning against the kitchen counter, scoffs at Regina’s words. Regina looks over her shoulder at Emma. “It’s true.”

 

Emma pushes off from the counter. “Your Mom and I  _ did _ share true love’s kiss. Just not physically  _ this _ mom,” Emma says, waving her hands toward Regina. “But still, you know, Regina.”

 

“Very eloquent, dear,” Regina says with amusement.

 

“Wait. So you and The Queen shared True Love’s kiss?” Henry says. “That’s awesome. That means that she really is good now, right?”

 

“Not only did Emma’s wound heal -- we believe for good -- but The Queen and I have now returned to how I was before I split us into two parts, only there are still physically two of us,” Regina tells him.

 

“Cool. So are you two, like, together now?” Henry asks. Regina freezes.

 

“How would you feel about that, Kid?” Emma asks.

 

“I just want both of you to be happy, and if that’s with each other, then that’s even better,” Henry says.

 

“Really?” Regina asks quietly, unconsciously wringing her hands.

 

“Really,” Henry assures her.

 

“Well, we haven’t actually discussed if we are-” Emma cuts her off by smacking her lips loudly against Regina’s cheek. She pulls back with a grin.

 

“Emma,” Regina warns, glancing at Henry out of the corner of her eye.

 

“I’m not going to get weirded out, Mom. I mean, not unless you start making out in front of me or I walk in on you…” His face scrunches up as if he smells something fowl.

 

“Don’t worry Kid, we’ll keep it to the bedroom,” Emma teases. Regina smacks her on the arm.

 

“Gross,” Henry mutters, turning back to his homework.

 

“Do you hear that, Regina?” Emma says, wrapping her arms around Regina’s waist. “We’re gross. Do you know how many new opportunities we’re going to have to embarrass our son?” 

 

At that, Regina can’t help but laugh.

  
  
  


“So let me get this straight,” David says, “you two shared  _ True Love’s kiss? _ The Evil Queen.” 

 

Regina sits on the couch at David and Snow’s apartment, while Henry sits beside her holding her hand. The Queen leans against the wall, putting a distance between herself and the other occupants of the room.

 

“I’m not  _ evil _ ,” The Queen says with a roll of her eyes. “Well, not anymore.”

 

“Which we all know,” Emma intones from where she stands.

 

“But do we real-” David’s words are cut off as Snow elbows him in the ribs.

 

“Yes, we do,” Emma says, her eyes narrowing at her father.

 

“She’s right though,” Regina says. “We are no longer an evil and a good half, but whole again, as I was before splitting us.”

 

“Oh, that’s wonderful,” Snow says. She marches forward to The Queen and wraps her arms around her, pulling her away from the wall.

 

“What are you doing?” The Queen grits out, but Snow only hugs her tighter. The Queen lets out a resigned sigh and raises her arms to loosely wrap around Snow’s back.

 

When Snow pulls away, she keeps her hands resting on The Queen’s arms. “I always hoped there was still good in you, and now you’re in love with my daughter,” Snow positively squeals.

 

The Queen pulls away from Snow and saunters over to Emma. “Yes, I am very much in love with your daughter.” An evil grin stretches over her face.

 

Emma hold up a hand to stop her. “Whatever you are planning on doing, first remember that our son is in the room.” That halts The Queen’s progress; she lets out an elegant huff before walking over to the couch and sitting down on Henry’s otherside. Regina rolls her eyes. David look like he might be sick.

 

“Anyways,” Emma says. “We think the wound the figure under the hood gave me is gone for good. The wound healed up the instant we…”

 

“Kissed,” The Queen fills in with a smirk.

 

“Right. There’s not even a scar anymore. There’s no way to know right now, but it looks promising,” Emma says.

 

“If there was a curse on the sword that was continuing to make the wound reopen, then True Love’s kiss would have effectively broken that curse. So if that’s what we were dealing with, then it should no longer be a problem,” Regina says.

 

“So now it looks like our biggest problem is whoever is under the hood,” David says.

 

“That’s what I’ve been trying to figure out,” The Queen says. “Eventually they’ll have to show themselves again, and when they do we just need to make sure that we’re ready for it.”

 

“And we will be,” Regina says. “With the three of our magic combined, and if we can make sure we are not taken off guard, we should have the upperhand.”

 

“Regina’s right. We’ll be ready for it,” Emma agrees.

 

The Queen looks pensive for a moment. “Meet me in my vault in an hour,” she tells Regina and Emma, before standing abruptly and disappearing in a cloud of purple smoke.

 

“My vault,” Regina mutters.

 

“I think you’re just going to have to get used to that,” Emma says with a laugh.

 

“I hate to think of the trouble she could get up to being left alone in there,” Regina says. “We are not giving her an entire hour.”

 

“Okay, Madam Mayor, should we start after her now?” Emma asks.

 

“Henry,” Regina says, turning to look at her son.

 

“Will help me with lunch,” Snow finishes.

 

“Yeah, of course, Grandma,” Henry says, jumping up. He presses a kiss to his mother’s forehead. “Go ahead Moms, I’ll be alright.” He grins before following Snow and David into the kitchen.

 

Emma walks forward and holds out her hand. Regina takes it and lets herself be pulled up. “Whatever disaster she has or hasn’t created, we’ll face it together,” Emma says with a laugh.

 

Regina sighs. “Very well.” But she isn’t quite able to hide her grin.

  
  
  


“Is my dear other half with you?” The Queen’s voice asks through the phone line, using the phone Regina had set up for her.

 

“Yeah, she’s right-” Emma says.

 

“Great. If you two could get to the park right this instance that would be wonderful,” The Queen says.

 

Emma rolls her eyes. “Sure thing, Your Majesty,” she says. She stands from the chair she pulled up to Regina’s home office desk, and stuffs her phone in the back pocket of her jeans. “We’re being summoned.” She reaches a hand out to Regina, who takes it with a smile.

 

“Why thank you, dear,” Regina says.

 

“Anytime.” Emma takes them to the park in a cloud of white smoke.

 

“It’s about time,” The Queen drawls when they appear beside her, the beads of her dress glinting in the light of the lamppost. 

 

“You have got to be kidding me,” Regina says, eyes going wide at the sight before her.

 

“Well, I told The Princess it was urgent,” The Queen says, and looks back to the figure under the hood, frozen in place ten feet in front of her. The black cloak sways gently in the breeze, the only movement to the static figure. “I thought you’d want to be here for the unveiling.”

 

“But how are you keeping it there?” Emma asks dubiously, crossing her arms over her chest.

 

“Really? Don’t you remember my target practice with your boyfriend?” The Queen asks with a hint of amusement.

 

“Ex,” Emma and Regina say at the same time. 

 

“Indeed he is,” The Queen says with a grin. “But now, we finally get to see who is under the hood. Would you like to do the honors, Savior?” She gestures widely to the waiting figure.

 

Emma bites her cheek and nods, taking determined steps toward the hooded figure where it stands, shadowed under a tall oak tree. “No more hiding,” she says and pulls the hood back.

 

A sharp breath is ripped from her lungs, and she stumbles back. Her heart hammers painfully in her chest and her magic crackles at her fingertips at her lapse in control.

 

“That’s not possible,” Regina says, moving to put a hand on Emma’s back. Emma leans into the hand, taking a deep breath and forcing her magic back inside of herself where it belongs.

 

“I don’t understand,” Emma says, staring into a face that is an exact replica of her own. “I tried to kill myself?” Her head tilts to the side in confusion.

 

The Queen strides past them, unafraid, and wraps her hand around the other Emma’s neck. “Who are you really? Doubles aren’t quite as common as we make it look,” she says, nodding her head in the direction of Regina. 

 

The Queen releases the magic holding this second Emma in place. She squeezes her hand around the other Emma’s neck threateningly before releasing her hold. She takes a step back, hands on her hips as she looks the figure in front of her up and down.

 

“Who are you really?” Regina echoes from where she stands behind The Queen. Her eyes are narrowed and focused on the pair in front of her, while her hand rubs small, soothing circles on Emma’s back.

 

“I’m Emma. I’m you,” she says, looking at Emma. “I’m just not from, well,  _ now _ .” She pulls a face at her own words.

 

“What? Like you’re from the future?” The Queen says with a snort and a roll of her eyes.

 

“I know it sounds crazy. It  _ is _ crazy, but yes. That’s exactly where I’m from,” Future Emma says, with a shrug. Her features and mannerisms are the same as her younger version, but there is a maturity to her, something in her eyes that’s older -- a certain sadness that makes it only too easy to tell the two Emma’s apart, if one were to look close enough.

 

Emma watches the exchange with wide eyes, unable to say a word, her breath shaking with each release.

 

“How far in the future, exactly?” Regina asks. She leans in closer to Emma and twines their fingers together, brushing her thumb along Emma’s palm. Future Emma’s eyes follow the movement and she smiles softly.

 

“That’s complicated. Maybe a matter of days or a few weeks at most? It doesn’t have to do with the  _ day _ so much as the  _ event _ ,” Future Emma says, her voice cracking slightly on the last word.

 

“What event?” Regina asks, squeezing Emma’s hand to keep her own from shaking. Emma leans in closer, brushing their sides together.

 

Future Emma shakes her head, and wraps her arms, still draped in the flowing black cape, around herself. “Hopefully there won’t be one. I’ve gone back time after time, and eventually I’ll find a way to stop it. I have to.” The words come out as a plea.

 

Emma steps beside The Queen, Regina following her with their linked hands. “Stop what? What are you -- am I -- trying to stop?”

 

Future Emma just shakes her head. “You should have just let me kill you,” she says, tears leaking from her eyes. “This is the longest I’ve been back that it hasn’t happened, and I thought that maybe it would be different this time. So I let you be.”

 

“Then why come after me again?” Emma asks, confusion lacing her words.

 

“It almost happened,” Future Emma whispers so softly that they barely hear the words. “I almost got him killed again.” Her face crumples as she speaks. It’s only Emma’s hand in her own that keeps Regina from running forward and taking the crying woman in her arms.

 

The Queen gasps. “No! It can’t be,” she says, eyes filling with tears, hands fisted at her sides.

 

“Now you see why I had to do what I did; why I have to die,” Future Emma says to The Queen. 

 

“I still don’t-” Emma says.

 

Regina squeezes her hand, drawing her attention. She brushes a lock of blonde hair behind Emma’s eyes. “Henry,” she says quietly.

 

“Henry,” Future Emma agrees.

 

“Henry said he saw you following him, watching him. If I wasn’t also watching him he would have been- the car,” The Queen says.

 

“I’ve been trying to keep an eye on him, to make sure that nothing happens this time. And yet everytime I go back in time and try to prevent it from happening, to keep him from dying, it still happens. It’s never the same way; there’s no one thing in particular to stop from happening. That’s when I realized that the common factor was me. Every time  _ I _ was there, trying to keep anything from happening, but what if what I was really doing was setting it in motion?

 

“So I tried to kill you,” she says to Emma, “and even when that didn’t work, that sword still had a failsafe. So I stayed back and waited, and even when the sword’s curse tried to kill you again, you still didn’t die. But Henry was still alive, so I waited, and I tried to look out for him. And he almost got killed trying to follow me. It’s always me; whenever I’m around, Henry dies.” The tears are falling freely now, her knuckles white from holding herself together.

“No, you can’t think that way,” Regina says, reaching a hand out toward the Future Emma, but refusing to let go of her Emma. Future Emma stares at the proffered hand for a moment, before loosening her arms’ grip around herself and taking Regina’s hand. Her shoulders loosen at the contact.

 

“I’ve tried everything else; it was the only thing left that made any sort of sense,” Future Emma says.

 

“Did you talk to anyone else? Does anyone else even know that you went back in time?” Regina asks tensely. 

 

“Gold knows -- or knew, I guess. That timeline doesn’t exist anymore. But he's the reason I was able to go back. I went to him and I was desperate; I would have made any deal he wanted to make. But it was his idea to use the magic beans,” Future Emma says.

 

“Magic beans?” The Queen asks, hands on her hips. “But you can only travel from realm to realm with magic beans, not into the past.”

 

“Normal magic beans, yes. But Gold had an idea, a potion to alter where exactly the beans can take you. You just think of a certain time in the past and it’s as simple as that,” she explains.

 

They are quiet for a moment, each one taking in all the information that has been thrown at them since The Queen called for Emma and Regina’s arrival.

 

“What about Henry?” Emma asks, breaking the silence. “Shouldn’t we make sure that at least one of us is with him at all times. If he’s supposed to-” The words catch in her throat, and she looks from Regina to The Queen. “He shouldn’t be alone.”

 

The Queen looks at Regina and their eyes meet, and after a moment Regina nods. The Queen takes Emma’s other hand. “Let’s go look after our son,” she says.

 

“But what if it  _ is _ my fault? What if she’s right, and I’m the reason Henry dies? I shouldn’t be anywhere near him,” Emma says in a rush, her breathing getting faster and faster.

 

“No,” Regina says firmly. “It’s not her fault and it’s not your fault. It’s time both of you believe that.” She looks at Future Emma, who has the decency to look slightly ashamed. “Our son is safer with his mothers around him. All of his mothers.”

 

“It’s time to go see our son, Princess,” The Queen says softly.

 

“But,” Emma says, looking at Regina, her eyes wide, lost.

 

Regina squeezes her hand, and presses a kiss to her lips. “It’s okay, Emma,” she says and lets go of Emma’s hand. The Queen takes them away in a cloud of purple smoke.

 

The moment they are alone Regina releases Future Emma’s hand and begins pacing.

 

“You’re scaring me,” Future Emma says after a minute of nothing but silent pacing.

 

Regina rounds on her in an instant. “I’m scaring you?” Her voice is a snarl, and there’s no sign of the comfort that laced her tone only minutes before. Emma takes a step back at the sudden change. “ _ You _ come into my town and try to kill Emma --  _ my _ Emma -- and you tell me that I’m scaring you. You tried to kill yourself.” 

 

Regina smacks her in the arm. “Ow,” Future Emma mutters, rubbing at her arm. Regina ignores her.

 

“Did you not think for one second that you could have asked someone for help, that you could have asked  _ me _ for help?” Her hands slice through the air as she speaks, a breeze catching her hair, lifting it up, and with the furious glint in her eye, she looks wild, ready to strike.

 

“But you didn’t know anything about what happened,” Future Emma tries to reason.

 

“At one point I did, and you what? Decided to go off on your own and try to fix it? You could have told me before you ever went back in time. But no, you just had to go and try to take yourself away from me,” Regina says, voice cracking as she finishes. Future Emma wraps her arms around her, and holds her tight to her chest, even as Regina tries to smack her hands away.

 

“I didn’t do it to hurt you,” Future Emma says softly, chin resting on Regina’s shoulder. Regina’s breathing is ragged as she finally sinks into Emma’s embrace.

 

“It was one thing when I thought there was an enemy that we could defeat and move on, just like all the other monsters and villains that come our way. But it’s just...you. I could never hurt you; not when you’re the same person I’m trying to protect,” Regina says, voice thick with emotion. She leans her head into Emma’s chest, heartbeat thudding in her ear.

 

“You have to understand why I did it,” Future Emma pleads. “I was never trying to hurt you, but it’s  _ Henry _ . I couldn’t stand being helpless. So I tried to find another way.”

 

“So of course you raced in without thinking.” Future Emma sighs. “Please just let me help you this time. There are two of both of us, between the four of us we’ll figure something out,” Regina says with a chuckle.

 

“Yeah, this timeline is something else.” Future Emma laughs. “The Queen was never on our side before. She may have pretended, but never like this.”

 

Regina steps back out of her arms. “Exactly how many times have you gone back?”

 

“More than I care to count,” Future Emma says, running a hand through her hair. “It’s getting late. You should get home to Henry.”

 

“Where will you go? I have a perfectly good guest room; it’s got to be better than wherever you’ve been hiding out,” Regina says.

 

Future Emma shakes her head. “And how do you plan on explaining me to Henry?” she asks, amused.

 

Regina opens her mouth to respond, but pauses, mouth falling closed. “That’s what I thought,” Future Emma says. “Go home Regina, you’ll see me again.” With a cloud of smoke she is gone.

 

The park is silent save for the crackle of leaves as they blow down the cement blocks of the sidewalk. Regina takes a deep breath before she, too, disappears.


	9. Chapter 9

Snow slides a cup of tea across her kitchen counter to her daughter. “So…” she prompts.

 

Emma takes a sip of her tea to put off answering. Her mother has been waiting to get her alone for this exact conversation; it’s been more than a month since she first told Snow about her and The Queen’s True Love’s kiss.  “So?” she asks, not wanting to make this conversation any easier for her mother.

 

“How are things going with you and Regina ...and Regina?” Snow asks, her forehead scrunching up slightly on the last part.

 

“Good. Things are going good. I mean, it’s complicated,” Emma says with a shrug, and takes another sip of her tea.

 

Snow picks up her own mug and walks over to the couch. “Are you all three together?” she asks hesitantly, her back to Emma.

 

Emma sighs loudly as she follows her mother and takes a seat in the chair across from the couch. “I don’t know what we are. We said we’d figure it out, but we haven’t really had a chance to do that. I don’t really know how it’s going to work.”

 

Her mother nods in understanding. “You’ll figure out a way. You and Regina always find a way to make things work. Look at where you were when you first came to town, and where you are now.”

 

“It was always going to happen, wasn’t it? Me and Regina,” Emma asks with a faint smile.

 

“Yes, it was. We just had to wait for you two to catch up on what the rest of this town already knew,” Snow says. She takes another sip of her tea to hide her amusement at her daughter’s comically wide eyes.

 

“Everyone knew?” Emma asks, incredulous.

 

“Just as you two weren’t good at hiding your dislike of one another, you aren’t so great at hiding your love for one another either. The way you two look at each other when the other isn’t looking...” Snow trails off with a smile.

 

“Wait, how does she look at me? How do  _ I _ look at  _ her _ ?” Emma asks.

 

“How do you feel about Regina?” Snow asks.

 

“I love Regina. You know that,” Emma says, frowning.

 

“Yes, I know,” Snow says patiently. “But tell me why you love her; what does she make you feel?”

 

Emma thinks for a moment. “She’s brave, you know? Like really, really brave. She been through fucking hell, and look where she is now. She’s so determined to make a better life for herself, to make sure our son has the best life he can. She has the biggest heart. She’s been hurt so many times, but she has a greater capacity to love than anyone I’ve ever met.

 

“She’s funny and generous. She can be a complete asshole at times -- and I didn’t know it was possible for anyone to be that bossy.” Snow lets out a high pitched laugh, but gets herself quickly under control and motions for Emma to continue.

 

“She gets me, and I get her. The things we’ve gone through...” Emma shakes her head to clear her mind of the thought. “But I know I can count on her to have my back, and I’m always going to have hers.” She’s silent for a moment, deep in thought, her eyes unfocused. “She’s just kind of... _ everything _ ,” she finishes with an embarrassed shrug.

 

Snow smiles gently. “That is how you look at her. Like she’s everything.”

 

“Oh,” Emma says, cheeks darkening.

 

“Would you like some more tea?” Snow asks, standing suddenly.

 

“No, I’m fine,” Emma says. Snow takes her mug from her hands anyway.

 

“Have you thought about polygamy?” Snow asks. 

 

“What?” Suddenly Emma’s grateful her mother took her mug, otherwise it would be in pieces on the floor.

 

“It is an option for the situation you’re in.” Snow lifts the kettle and refills both their mugs, seemingly unbothered by the conversation at hand.

 

“This isn’t a conversation we need to be having,” Emma says, standing from her chair, but keeping a distance from her mother. “Whatever we decide to do is between the three of us. I love them both; they’re both Regina. But I don’t see that working out in the long run.”

 

“I’m sorry,” Snow says. “It’s not my place.” She picks up their now full mugs and walks over to Emma. “I just want you to know that you can talk to me about this. It is something the three of you need to decide, but sometimes another mind outside the situation can see things in a different light.”

 

“I’ll consider it,” Emma says, retaking her mug, and sounding for all the world like she’s not going to consider it at all. Snow sighs. At least she’d gotten her thoughts out in the open.

 

“I’m glad The Queen is fully on our side now. She’s one less threat that we have to worry about. But the figure under the hood is still out there somewhere,” Snow says.

 

Emma inwardly sighs. Her mother thinks she’s moving on to a better topic of conversation, but this one really is no better. “Yeah, it’s nice to know where she stands. Although I really do believe she was on my side from the very beginning. Maybe not everybody's side, but she was trying to keep the figure under the hood from hurting me.”

 

“Yes, now I can see that you were always right about that,” Snow says. “But we’re no closer to having a solution to dealing with the problem.”

 

The front door opens, drawing the two women’s attention. David walks in, Neal held snuggly in one arm, and bag of groceries in his other hand. He pushes the door closed with a foot and sets the bag on the counter. Emma hides her relief at the interruption with another sip from her mug. 

 

David presses a kiss to Emma’s cheek, and another to Snow’s lips. Snow takes Neal from David, balancing him on her hip. “I’m just saying that we need to come up with some plan of attack. We can’t just keep waiting around for the figure under the hood to come after you again,” Snow tells Emma.

 

“Your mother is right,” David agrees, taking groceries out of the bag and putting them in the fridge. “It’s been months of this, and we need to do something about it. I don’t want to put you in danger, but if we can draw the figure out somehow and defeat them...”

 

Emma bites her lip, knowing it best to keep her parents out of the loop on this one, even if she hates having to lie to them about it. Revealing her future self means revealing why her future self is here in the first place. The less people that know of Henry’s role in all of this, the better.

 

“I’ll talk to Regina and The Queen and see if we can figure something out,” Emma promises, hoping they can come up with a good enough excuse to override her parent’s plans.

 

“And we’ll see what we can come up with. If all of us put our minds together I’m sure that we’ll be able to find a way to defeat the figure under the hood without anyone else getting hurt,” Snow says as she bounces Neal on her hip.

 

Emma nods. “I’m sure we can. I told Regina I would come over soon, so I should probably get going,” Emma says. She hadn’t told Regina that, but it’s not like she really needs an excuse to go over to Regina’s anymore.

 

“Of course, Sweetie. We’ll see you later,” Snow says.

 

“Bye,” she tells both her parents, and tries not to look like she’s bolting from the room as she leaves.

 

She makes her way down the stairs to her bug and makes the short drive to Regina’s. She opens the front door without knocking -- Regina had given her a key months ago, so what was the point of knocking anymore?

 

She hears what sounds like Regina talking to herself coming from the study and so she makes her way down the hall, leaning against to doorjamb. Regina sits on the couch, legs crossed, a glass of cider in her hand; The Queen stands near the fireplace, nursing a glass of cider of her own.

 

“You don’t get to make all the decisions about this,” The Queen says, her body rigid with frustration. “Emma gets a say in this, and so do I.”

 

“Well someone has got to start deciding something; we haven’t even made an attempt to start talking about this,” Regina says hotly.

 

“Uh oh, this conversation must be about exactly what I think it is, especially if you’re both drinking this early in the day,” Emma says with a laugh to mask her uneasiness. 

 

Both of their eyes snap to Emma, soft smiles gracing their lips in a mirrored expression; the tension drains instantly from The Queen’s form. “Please, I haven’t even touched it,” The Queen says, sitting her glass on the mantle. At Regina’s glare, she magics a coaster under the glass. “And this conversation is exactly what you think it’s about.” The Queen drops gracefully into an armchair.

 

“Regina’s right though. We do need to talk about it,” Emma says, stepping into the room and taking a seat on the opposite end of the couch from Regina. “Especially since my mother has started suggesting her own ideas of what we can do.”

 

Regina’s face twists in disgust. “Do I want to know?” Regina asks.

 

“Nope. Definitely not,” Emma says, shaking her head. 

 

“She probably suggested some sort of polygamous relationship,” The Queen says, with a laugh. Emma coughs. The Queen looks thoughtful for a moment. “It is a valid suggestion. We both love Emma, and Emma loves both of us. There would be no choosing one Regina over the other.”

 

“It would be more of a game to see which one of us murders the other first. You know we don’t share well,” Regina tells The Queen. She turns toward Emma. “Unless that’s what you want, then maybe we could find a way to make it work; we could try.” The vulnerability in her words makes Emma’s heart clench.

 

Emma shakes her head. “I already told Snow it wouldn’t work in the long run. I know you both, and I know that neither one of you could be happy like that.” Regina releases a breath in relief.

 

“So if it can’t be both of us, that only leaves the options of one of us or none of us,” The Queen says, trying and failing to withhold the bitter note in her voice. Regina takes a sip of her cider; Emma runs a hand through her hair.

 

“Yeah,” Emma says. Regina hands her glass of cider to Emma, who gratefully takes a large gulp, before passing the glass back.

 

“But that still leaves someone, or everyone unhappy,” The Queen says, crossing and uncrossing her legs.

 

“Yeah,” Emma says again. 

 

“There is no good answer, but eventually we do need to make a decision, and sooner rather than later,” Regina says, sitting her empty glass on the table. “And if you say ‘yeah’ one more time, Emma Swan...” She turns to Emma, cutting off the word before Emma can speak. 

 

“It’s just...you’re both Regina, and somehow I’m supposed to pick one of you,” Emma begins.

 

“Flip a coin,” The Queen snarks under her breath.

 

Emma glares at her before continuing, “You’re both the woman I’ve been falling in love with from the day I stepped foot in this town. You’re both  _ Regina _ , and I don’t know how I’m supposed to…”

 

The Queen leans her elbows on her knees. “Which one of us is the better kisser?” Emma and Regina both turn to stare at her. “What? I think it’s a valid question,” she says innocently.

 

“Stop talking,” Emma tells her.

 

“No, please continue talking,” Regina says. “You only help my case when you do.”

 

“Both of you stop talking,” Emma says, leaning her head back against the cushion. 

 

Regina scoots closer, but doesn’t move to touch her. “I’m sorry. You don’t have to decide anything now. I just meant that we do need to figure something out, but I don’t want to force you to make a decision you’re not ready to make.”

 

Emma lifts her head. “But it’s not fair to either of you for me to draw things out.” 

 

They fall into silence, which is only broken a few minutes later by the sound of feet trampling their way down the stairs. “Mom,” Henry says when he bursts into the room. “Mom, Mom.” He looks at The Queen. “Are you ready? You promised you’d take me to Granny’s when I finished my homework, and I did, so…” 

 

“Very well,” The Queen says. She stands from the chair and before she follows after Henry and leaves the room, she stops in front of Emma. She places her hands on either side of Emma’s head on the back of the couch, and leans in, their gazes locking until their lips brush, lightly at first, and then more insistently.

 

Emma’s lips part in a contented sigh, and The Queen traces her tongue along Emma’s bottom lip before pressing inside. Emma’s hand threads into the hair at the base of The Queen’s neck, as she arches into the kiss.

 

The loud clearing of a throat causes them to break apart, and Emma looks at Regina guiltily. “Like I said, who’s the better kisser?” The Queen whispers, but loud enough for Regina to hear. She presses another quick kiss to Emma’s lips as Henry calls for her to hurry up. She gives Emma a wink before she slips from the room.

 

“Sorry,” Emma says. “That’s not fair to you.” Regina shakes her head, but doesn’t disagree.

 

“I would like some lunch,” Regina says as she stands. “If you would like to join me?” She holds a hand out to Emma who takes it. Their fingers stay loosely tangled together as they make their way into the kitchen only to see Future Emma sitting at the table, grilled cheese in hand. 

 

“I brought Granny’s,” she says with a nod to the takeout bags on the table in front of her. She takes a large bite of her sandwich, grinning as she chews.

 

“So what? You just walked into Granny’s pretending to be me and picked up lunch?” Emma asks.

 

“Exactly,” Future Emma says, mouth full of sandwich. “No one knows there are two of us, so no one thought to question it.” She shrugs, swallowing the bite.

 

“Two of you…” Regina says quietly to herself.

 

“What are you thinking?” Emma asks her.

 

“That this entire situation is complicated and there are more than both of us than there should be,” Regina says, closing her eyes for a long moment before reopening them.

 

“Two Reginas is scary enough, but two Emmas is…” Emma says.

 

“Terrifying,” Regina finishes, her grin showing through despite her efforts to hide it. Emma shoves her shoulder playfully. “I don’t know that I have it in me to save the town from the mayhem that the two of you would surely get up to together.”

 

“Food’s getting cold,” Future Emma says, pulling them from their conversation, and cutting off Emma’s retort.

 

“Right,” Regina says, and lets go of Emma’s hand to pull the food containers out of the bag.

 

Emma takes the container that Regina hands her and takes a seat. Regina has a forkful of salad when she suddenly says, “Emma,” with so much worry that Emma swears her heart stops for a second. 

 

It takes her a moment to realize that Regina isn’t talking to her, but to Future Emma.

 

“This is a first,” Future Emma says, lifting her now transparent hand up to inspect; her entire body is suddenly completely transparent, leaving her barely visible where she sits at the table.

 

“Henry,” Regina chokes out, her chair skidding behind her when she stands.

 

Future Emma shakes her head. “This has nothing to do with him. The only thing that makes sense is if,” her eyes widen with realization, “my timeline is disappearing.”

 

“Meaning what?” Emma asks urgently. Her hands tremble as she pushes back from the table.

 

“I think someone else is taking his place,” she says quietly, still looking down at her hands. “I think the only thing that could erase my timeline -- my entire reason for being here -- is if someone were to die in Henry’s place.”

 

“No,” Emma shouts, her heart racing as disappears in a cloud of white smoke before anyone can say another word.

 

“Come on,” Regina says. She reaches for her before hesitating, not sure if her hand is going to meet something solid or go right through Future Emma’s own hand.

 

“If anyone sees me -- or what’s left of me, anyway.” She shakes her head. “Go. I’ll follow you, but stay out of sight.” Regina nods, and only then does she take Future Emma’s hand. Her hand isn’t quite solid, more the feel of something static, but neither does her hand fall through Emma’s.

 

“Stay close by,” Regina says, with a squeeze of her hand, before she disappears in a cloud of smoke of her own.

  
  
  


Emma reappears in front of the dinner only to hear the commotion coming from up the road -- the path that Henry and The Queen would have been taking. She runs as fast as she can until she sees a small group of people gathered around where a car has driven up onto the sidewalk.

 

She pushes her way through the group to where she sees Henry, kneeling on the ground beside where The Queen lies, blood pooling beneath her on the cement. “No,” she cries again, breathlessly.

 

She drops roughly to her knees on The Queen’s other side, hardly noticing the pain shooting through her at the movement. “What happened?” The words shake as they leave her.

 

“Pongo got loose. He ran in the road, and the car swerved so it wouldn’t hit him. But Mom and I were-” Henry chokes out, tears running down his face. “Mom pushed me out of the way.” 

 

“Of course, I did,” The Queen says raggedly, reaching for Henry’s hand.

 

“You saved me, now let me save you,” Emma says, bringing her hands up to hover over The Queen’s body. She squares her shoulders with determination.

 

“No,” a quiet but firm voice says from behind Emma. At the hand squeezing her shoulder, Emma looks up to face Regina. “You know that you can’t do that.” She gives Henry a pointed look that goes unnoticed by him.

 

“But there’s got to be another way,” Emma pleads, looking from Henry to The Queen.

 

“She’s right,” The Queen gasps. “It has to be this way.” She tries for a smile, but it comes out as a grimace. 

 

A sob bursts from Emma, and she pulls The Queen into her lap.

 

“At least this way you won’t have to chose.” The Queen tries to laugh, but it quickly turns into a ragged cough.

 

“Shhh. Breathe,” Emma says softly, fingers ghosting along The Queen’s cheek. Regina drops gracefully to her knees beside Emma, and strokes her hand through The Queen’s hair. 

 

When the coughing subsides, Emma says, “That’s not funny.” Her voice is fierce, and her tears fall faster. She hugs The Queen tighter to herself.

 

“Take care of her,” The Queen says to Regina.

 

Regina nods, and wipes at her own tears. “Always,” she promises, scooting further into Emma’s side.

 

“And you take care of her,” The Queen whispers to Emma, a fire in her eyes despite the weakening of her body.

 

“Always,” she echoes, leaning her shoulder against Regina’s.

 

“And both of you,” she’s wheezing harshly now, “take care of Henry.” She manages the energy to give Henry a weak smile.

 

“Mom,” Henry chokes out, scooting in closer and holding her tighter. “Just let them save you. I know they can do it.” The Queen just smiles sadly at him. Henry looks to his other two mothers. “Why aren’t you saving her?” His voice is loud and accusing, and he crumples in on himself as he looks down at his mother.

 

Emma gasps sharply, and Regina leans in close enough to whisper without anyone else hearing, “She’s changing the timeline. She dies, but Henry lives.” Emma’s eyes blur with her tears.

 

“It’s okay, Henry,” The Queen assures him tiredly. “I was protecting you, and everyone I love is here.” She sucks in a ragged breath. “I couldn’t imagine a better way to go.”

 

“I love you, Mom,” Henry says, his voice shaking as he presses his knees further into his dying mother’s side.

 

She takes a deep, harsh breath. “I love you.” As soon as she gets the words out, her grasp falls slack in Henry’s.

 

Emma presses a kiss to her forehead, to her lips. Her breath catches on a sob. Regina wraps her arm around Emma and pulls her closer still. 

 

A faint movement catches Regina’s eyes and she looks up to see Future Emma, standing near the gap between two buildings, everyone too focused on the scene before them to notice her. She gives Regina a sad smile, glistening tears running down her cheeks, before her skin grows even more transparent. Suddenly, she isn’t there at all.


	10. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One year later...

“Moms, come on!” Henry calls out from the hallway, his feet pounding against each step as he races down the staircase.

 

“He gets that from you,” Emma says as she steps out of their ensuite bathroom and into their bedroom.  

 

“Gets what from me?” Regina asks as she looks into the vanity mirror, slipping an earring into place.

 

“Impatience,” Emma responds, sitting on the edge of the bed and lacing up her boots.

 

“It’s called punctuality, dear,” Regina says over her shoulder. Emma rolls her eyes.

 

“We still have almost an hour before we’re meeting my parents,” she says.

 

“Henry doesn’t want to have to rush,” Regina says softly. Emma stands and wraps an arm around Regina’s waist.

 

“I know, and we’ll give him all the time he needs,” Emma says. Regina turns in her grasp and rests her palm against Emma’s cheek, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

 

“We. The time  _ we _ need,” Regina amends, before taking a step back and holding Emma’s hand in hers. “Now let’s go before our son gets anymore antsy. 

 

Henry is waiting in the backseat of the Mercedes by the time they make it outside.

 

“Impatience,” Emma mutters. “It’s definitely impatience.” Regina rolls her eyes at her over the top of the car, before getting inside.

 

“You okay, Kid?” Emma asks, when Henry remains silent for the first half of their drive, and she looks over her shoulder at him.

 

“As okay as I can be, I guess,” Henry says with a shrug and a sad smile. Emma reaches her hand into the backseat and Henry takes a hold of it.

 

“I think we all feel that way,” she says, glancing over at Regina. Regina pulls the car into a spot at the edge of the cemetery and puts it in park. Emma waits until Henry is out of the car and the door has closed behind him. “You’d tell me if you weren’t okay, right?”

 

Regina lets out a long breath, before turning to look at Emma. “Yes, I’d tell you. I’m as okay as I can be,” she echos, giving Emma a small smile. She leans forward and presses a kiss to Emma’s lips. “I love you.”

 

Emma smiles against her lips. “I love you, too.”

 

A knocking on the window jolts them apart. “Moms, stop being gross.”

 

“He is  _ your  _ son,” Regina mutters, and kisses Emma once more before pulling away, and getting out of the car. Emma laughs, but doesn’t argue the point.

 

Emma gets out of the car, and without a word takes Regina’s hand as they follow their son down the familiar path. When they reach their destination Henry looks back at his mother expectantly. With a cloud of purple smoke, a bouquet of daffodils and gladiolus appears in Regina’s hand, and she passes it to Henry.

 

“Hi, Mom,” Henry says quietly. He walks up to the gravestone and places the flowers down at its base. The gravestone is simple, yet elegant;  _ Regina Mills _ , it reads, the words carved into the marble.  _ Mother, queen, hero. _

 

“I can’t believe it’s been a year,” Henry says softly, looking back and Emma and Regina, their hands still entwined between them.

 

“Neither can I, Kid,” Emma says as she and Regina step up to his side. “But she would be proud of how far you’ve come in this last year, at everything you’ve accomplished.”

 

“She’d be happy at how far we’ve all come,” Regina adds, squeezing Emma’s hand.

 

“I’ll never forget what you did for me,” Henry says, looking back at the gravestone. “I probably wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for what you did. So thank you, Mom.” Tears stream quietly down his cheeks.

 

Regina wraps her arm around his shoulders. “We are all thankful for what you did,” she adds.

 

“I wish there could have been another way, but I will never forget you,” Emma says. She looks at Regina. “You were both Regina, but she was still her own person, you know? And there’s a part of me that’s always gonna love her.”

 

“I don’t think any of us will ever stop loving her,” Regina says. Emma’s eyes fill with tears, and Regina tugs her closer, their arms pressing into one another’s.

 

“Yeah,” Emma says. They stand in silence, each looking at the gravestone, standing together as a unit -- as a family.

 

“We should go,” Regina says at last.

 

“I know,” Henry says, but doesn’t move or look away.

 

Regina’s arm drops from his shoulders, and she takes his hand. “Bye, Mom,” he whispers before they walk away, back down the path to the car.

  
  
  


They pull up outside of Granny’s; inside, Snow can be seen with Neal in her arms. They all get out of the car, but Henry grabs Emma’s arm before she can follow Regina inside.

 

“You should do it, you know?” Henry says.

 

“Do what?” Emma asks.

 

“Ask Mom to marry you. I know you have a ring,” Henry says like it’s obvious.

 

Emma’s cheeks darken. “I’m going to do it soon. I just haven’t found the right moment yet.”

 

“When we get home,” Henry says. “I think today would be perfect. I think The Queen would appreciate it. I know she wanted both of you to be happy. I think she’d like you turning this day into something special.”

 

“You think so?’ Emma asks, still looking unsure, and running a hand through her hair.

 

“I know so,” Henry assures her. “We should get inside before Mom starts asking questions. But just think about what I’ve said.” Henry walks inside and Emma follows him, deep in thought.

 

Regina watches her son and her girlfriend talking outside before Henry opens the door a minute later. 

 

“What was that about?” Regina asks Emma as she takes the seat beside her, leaning in so only she can hear the words.

 

Emma shakes her head, cheeks pink. “It’s nothing,” Emma says. Regina recognizes the lie, but let’s it go for the time being.

 

“Okay,” Regina says, and presses a kiss to Emma’s cheek. She looks around at this family that she has become a part of. Her son with a bright grin on his face as his grandfather tells him about his latest arrest on the job. A very pregnant Snow White fussing over toddler Neal in his highchair. And Emma -- beautiful, wonderful Emma, smiling at her like she’s the sun the earth revolves around.

 

She release a breath and meets Emma’s smile with one of her own, never having been more grateful for everything The Queen had given her.


End file.
